The Dementia Research Nurse Network

Sittana Abdelmagid is a Clinical Research Nurse at University College London Hospitals (UCLH). In addition to her clinical role, Sittana serves as Chair for Research Inclusion at the UK Clinical Research Facility (UK CRF) Network, where she supports efforts to improve representation and access to research for underserved communities.

As a Dementia Research Nurse, Sittana is passionate about delivering person-centred and inclusive research, ensuring that every research participant feels valued, informed and represented.

Sittana will work with her colleagues across the UKDTN to position the UK as a global leader in dementia research. By recruiting more people into research and providing compassionate person-centred care, the team will ensure that discoveries are translated into meaningful improvements in care and treatments for people with dementia and their families.

I hope my role will give people living with dementia and their families a stronger voice in research, empowering them to feel included, valued, and supported. I believe we can make research participation feel like a natural extension of care.

Inês Rodrigues is a Senior Research Sister leading a multidisciplinary team at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.  

As a Research Nurse, Inês will work to create more opportunities for people affected by dementia to take part in research that truly reflects their needs, experiences and priorities.  

Inês aims to champion inclusive and person-centred research, raise awareness of dementia research among a variety of clinical teams, and help build a confident and qualified dementia research workforce within the NHS.  

I want to help shape a research culture that listens, adapts, and delivers better outcomes. Ultimately, my goal is to make dementia research more visible and impactful, so that every person affected by dementia can benefit from the progress we make.

Jo Howe is a Senior Dementia Research Sister at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, based at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

With over two decades of nursing experience, Jo has dedicated her career to improving care for people affected by stroke and dementia. She initially worked across Vascular Surgery, Haematology, Oncology and Stroke services before becoming a Stroke Nurse Specialist and later moving into research, a transition inspired by her commitment to driving positive change in clinical practice.

During her years in Stroke Research, Jo helped deliver studies that directly improved patient outcomes, including innovations in thrombolysis services. Her team’s work has been recognised nationally, winning a Nursing Times Award in 2023, a regional NHS Parliamentary Award in 2024, and a High Commendation in the HSJ Digital Awards.

Now working in dementia research, Jo is committed to delivering inclusive, person-centred studies that reflect the diverse experiences of people living with dementia. She aims to increase awareness of dementia research, make opportunities more accessible, and strengthen collaboration between research teams, clinicians and families.

As part of the UK Dementia Trials Network, Jo will work with colleagues across the country to help position the UK as a global leader in dementia research. By supporting more people to take part in trials and ensuring compassionate, high-quality care, she hopes to drive discoveries that translate into better diagnosis, treatment and support for those affected.

I hope my role helps more people affected by dementia take part in research that leads to better care and treatment. I want to make research easier to access for everyone and help bring healthcare teams and researchers together, so research becomes a standard part of dementia care.

Liana Dunn is a Senior Research Nurse in the Research & Development Department at the Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust.

As a Dementia Senior Research Nurse, Liana aims to raise awareness about the importance of research and to ensure everyone has the chance to take part. This will ultimately lead to improvements in dementia care, so that it is better aligned with the support, structure, and visibility seen in other disease areas.

Liana is passionate about creating a patient-centred, inclusive and supportive research environment which is truly meaningful and engaging for everyone involved, from people with dementia and their families, to research teams and clinicians. 

I want to make research feel less intimidating and more accessible for people living with dementia and their families. Ultimately, I want to play a small but meaningful part in raising the Dementia diagnosis profile, improving care, increasing opportunities, and moving dementia research forward for future generations.

Naomi Thomas is a Lead Research Nurse and clinical trial specialist at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust.

In her new role, Naomi strives to increase access to person-centred dementia research for everyone. She is passionate about ensuring research opportunities are more widely available to those within her local region and to improve the research experience of the participants involved.  

Naomi hopes to increase research opportunities which could lead to new medicines, technological innovations and ultimately improved outcomes for all everyone affected by dementia.

I hope my role will bring a measure of hope and agency to people affected by dementia which has for so long been considered inevitable and incurable. I want to work with clinicians and people affected by dementia to change that story.

Colin Housego Rowe is a Lead Research Nurse at ReMind UK, Bath.

In his new role, Colin will collaborate with clinicians, academics and researchers to provide inclusive research opportunities for all, through clear and consistent communication and continuous support for people affected by dementia. 

Colin aims to expand the opportunities for dementia research to reach those that may not necessarily consider taking part in research. Engaging with care home staff, residents and their families, diverse community groups and those who are part of the LGBTQ+ community, he hopes to increase access to research across the West of England.

Research plays a vital role in changing lives in the future. By involving a diverse range of people in clinical trials, we can better understand how dementia affects individuals across the community, leading to more inclusive and positive outcomes.

Deborah McGlynn is a Research Nurse Manager at Greater Glasgow & Clyde Queen Elizbeth University Hospital. 

In her new role, Deborah aims to empower underserved groups with knowledge and confidence to participate in research. By increasing understanding of clinical trials Deborah will help drive more inclusive, accessible, and representative research across diverse communities. 

Through working with and learning from the other nurses across the network, Deborah aims to ensure high quality research becomes fully embedded in dementia clinical care across the UK.

Having seen the devastating effects dementia within my own family, I feel driven to contribute to research that offers hope, progress, and the possibility of better futures for families in Glasgow and beyond.