Skip to main content

Staff Profile

Dr Ríona McArdle

NIHR Advanced Fellow

Background

Background

I received my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology in 2014 from Maynooth University, Ireland. My research project was supervised by Dr Richard Roche, and entitled "Investigating the effects of background noise on working memory performance".

I was awarded my Master's Degree in Foundations of Clinical Neuropsychology in 2015 from Bangor University, Wales. My research project was supervised by Professor Charles Leek and entitled: "The effects of non-pharmacological intervention on motor rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease".

In 2019, I completed my PhD in Neuroscience at Newcastle University under the supervision of Professor Lynn Rochester, Professor Alan Thomas and Dr Brook Galna. My thesis was entitled "What can gait analysis tell us about dementia and its subtypes? An integrated study of brain and behaviour". During my PhD, I set up and managed the "GaitDem" study, investigating the gait and cognitive profiles of 125 people with different types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body disease and Vascular dementia, and older adult controls. 

Since 2019, I have been a Research Associate at the Translational and Clinical Research Institute of Newcastle University in the Brain and Movement (BAM) Research Group led by Prof. Lynn Rochester. My key research focus is regarding the potential applications of wearable technology and gait analysis for clinical use and clinical trial endpoints.

In 2020, I began a part-time secondment with the NIHR Global Research Dementia Prevention and Enhanced Care (DePEC) project, led by Prof. Dame Louise Robinson. I co-led a systematic review looking at instrumental activities of daily living tools for dementia diagnosis in low-middle income countries, and expanded my understanding of mixed-methods research.

Since 2021, I am a Senior Research Associate with the Early Detection of Neurodegeneration (EDoN) Initiative, co-ordinating the Digital Hub (60% FTE). My work supports the development and implementation of a digital toolkit for dementia screening. I continue to work with BAM and DePEC to maintain my research looking at the use of wearable technology as a clinical tool for dementia (40% FTE).

Areas of expertise: Digital Health, Wearable Technology, Gait, Neurodegenerative diseases, Ageing, Cognition, Dementia, Mobility 

 

Researchgate profile

 

Google Scholar profile

 

Education and Training

2020

Policy Fellow on the Newcastle University Policy Fellows Programme 

I was awarded a place on the Policy Fellows Programme, where I am learning about translating research to policy.

 

2019

Action for Impact Training Course

I was awarded a place on the Action for Impact Training Course in collaborating with Newcastle University and Northern Accelerator. During this course, I learned how to make my research and myself as a research more impactful in terms of promoting my work, thinking like an entrepreneur and developing meaningful research programmes.

 

PhD in Neuroscience, Newcastle University

  • Thesis: “What can gait analysis tell us about dementia and its subtypes? An integrated study of brain and behaviour.”
  • Supervisors: Prof. Lynn Rochester, Prof. Alan Thomas, Dr. Brook Galna.
  • Set-up and managed the “GaitDem” study, looking at gait analysis in 125 people with different dementia subtypes and older adult controls.
  • Conducted all cognitive and gait assessments.
  • Responsible for data management and analysis.

 

2015

Master of Science (MSc) in Foundations of Clinical Neuropsychology -

Bangor University

Awarded a distinction

Dissertation: “The effects of non-pharmacological intervention on motor rehabilitation in Parkinson’s disease.”

Supervisors: Prof. Charles Leek

 

2014

Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology - Maynooth University

Awarded a 2:1

Dissertation: “Investigating the effects of background noise on working memory performance.”

Supervisors: Dr. Richard Roche


Committee Positions 

North Co-Lead for the Deep Dementia Phenotyping (DEMON) Network (2020-Present).

The DEMON Network is the national network for the application of data science and artificial intelligence to dementia research, boasting over 260 members composed of researchers, clinicians and members of the public. Responsibilities include:

  • Facilitating regional events and communications between the DEMON steering committee and the DEMON regional members.
  • Arrange local events such as hackathons, public lectures and training courses.
  • Engage with local Network members to facilitate development and research opportunities within the North of England.
  • Work with the DEMON steering committee to develop a national strategy for data science and artificial intelligence in dementia
Head of Content, Policy and Research on the World Young Leaders in Dementia (WYLD) Steering Group (June 2020-Present)

WYLD is a network composed of people from clinical, research, commercial, advocacy and care backgrounds who have united to improve the lives of people with dementia across the globe, boasting over 400 members representing over 30 nations since 2015. Key responsibilities include:

  • Joint responsibility with all members of the Steering Group for overall management and performance of WYLD with respect to key objectives by providing advice and ensuring delivery of outputs within agreed timeframes.
  • Managing the Content, Policy and Research Working Unit to maintain regular website and social media content, develop a sustainable model of content delivery and collaborate with international scientific and policy efforts.

Blog Strategy Manager on the World Young  Leaders in Dementia (WYLD) Leadership Committee (Feb 2020-May 2020).

Responsibilities include:

  • Leading the WYLD blogging team and independent bloggers publishing with WYLD to ensure articles are interesting and relevant resources to our multi-disciplinary readers.
  • Managing WYLD social media, including the Twitter account and supporting website maintenance.
  • Working with the Steering Committee to shape the network’s future development.  


Blog Strategy Manager on the World Young  Leaders in Dementia (WYLD) Leadership Committee (Feb 2020-May 2020).

Responsibilities include:

  • Leading the WYLD blogging team and independent bloggers publishing with WYLD to ensure articles are interesting and relevant resources to our multi-disciplinary readers.
  • Managing WYLD social media, including the Twitter account and supporting website maintenance.
  • Working with the Steering Committee to shape the network’s future development.  

Awards

2020

Newcastle University's Tilly Hale Award, £925. 

The Tilly Hale award provides seed funding to support projects that strengthen public and patient involvement in research. The funding from this award will be used to carry out participatory workshops and one-to-one interviews remotely with people with dementia, their carers and professionals working in dementia services to co-design a research study focused on activity engagement following dementia diagnosis.

2019
Newcastle University’s Academic Development Scholarship, £3750- full award covering maintenance stipend for three months. Newcastle University offer five Academic Development Scholarships each year, which offer talented research students financial support for up to three months following their PhD submission. It is available to students who may produce career-defining papers from their PhD results. 

 

2018

Winner of the Insights Public Lecture Prize/Newcastle University’s Faculty of Medical Sciences Public Speaking Award (May 2018).

 

2016

Alzheimer’s Society Doctoral Training Centre Studentship – full award covering tuition fees, research funding and annual stipend of £16,000 for 3 years

 

Funding

2021

National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre Funding: £4,000. Co-applicant on "Developing novel tools to accurately identify dementia subtypes: application of wearable-based gait analysis and machine learning approaches." PI: Rana Rehman

2020

National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Research Capability Funding, £21,190.50, via North East Commissioning Services Unit (September 2020-March 2021): Funding to carry out a secondment with Professor Dame Louise Robinson. 


Public Involvement Fund, Research Design Service North East and North Cumbria, National Institute of Health Research, £480.10 - supporting interviews with people with dementia and their carers to explore barriers and motivators of activity, and to understand what advice primary and secondary care services currently provide regarding the importance of staying active in the early-moderate stages of dementia.


Travel Grants

 

2019

Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund, Newcastle University, £3127 – supporting attendance at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2019, Los Angeles

Alzheimer’s Research UK Travel Grant award, £630 – supporting attendance at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2019, Los Angeles

Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund, Newcastle University, £1171 – supporting attendance at the International Society of Posture and Gait Research International Congress 2019, Edinburgh.

Alzheimer’s Research UK Travel Grant award, £1600 – supporting attendance at the International Lewy Body Dementia Conference 2019, Las Vegas

 

2018

Guarantors of Brain Travel Grant award, £1000 – supporting attendance at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2018, Chicago

Institute of Ageing Newcastle University Travel Grant award, £214 – supporting attendance at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2018, Chicago

Faculty of Medical Sciences Newcastle University Travel Grant award, £1000 – supporting attendance at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2018, Chicago

Alzheimer’s Research UK Travel Grant award, £800 – supporting attendance at the Alzheimer’s Research UK Annual Conference 2018, London

 

2017

Alzheimer’s Research UK Travel Grant award, £800 – supporting attendance at the International Society of Posture and Gait Research World Congress 2017, Florida

 

 

 

 

 

 

Research

Research Interests

My research interests relate to neurodegenerative disorders, particularly dementia, cognitive processes, human movement and mobility, and applications of technology to diagnosis and care.

In particular, I am interested in improving the quality of life and diagnostic outcomes of people with dementia by developing clinical markers for earlier, more accurate diagnosis of dementia subtype, and by understanding how we can empower people with dementia to maintain their independence through service provision, education or application of technology in care.

I conducted the GaitDem study between 2015-2019, investigating the potential applications of wearable technology and gait analysis to dementia diagnosis and disease monitoring. Findings from this study have been published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and Gerontology.

Peer Reviews

I am a peer reviewer for the following journals:

  • Journal of Alzheimer’s disease
  • Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology
  • American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias
  • SAGE Open
  • Experimental Gerontology
  • Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications
  • European Geriatric Medicine
  • BMC Health Services Research
  •  Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation.
  • Housing, Care and Support
  • PLOS One
Teaching

Current Teaching

  • Essay Supervisor and marker for “PSY1001: Psychological Inquiry” module, BSc Psychology, Newcastle University. Module leader: Dr. Amy Fielden.
  • Mentor for the NIHR BRC Doctoral Trainees.
  • Supervisor for MRes in Neuroscience and BScs in Biomedical Sciences,  Sports Science and Physiology, Psychology, Newcastle University

Past Teaching

PhD Tutor for the Brilliant Club.  Designed and delivered the following courses for high school students:

  1. "Mind your step: what can walking tell us about the brain?" (KS4; March-May 2016)
  2. "Dementia: One size doesn't fit all" (KS4, June -September 2016)
  3. "Watch your step: How does the brain influence walking?" (KS4; March - May 2017)
  4. "Walking and the brain" (KS5; October 2017 - January 2018)

"Watch your step: How does the brain influence walking?" (KS4; October 2017 - January 2018)

Publications