We asked Jade Lucas, a Neuroscience PhD student at the University of Edinburgh, to answer some questions about her MND research journey so far.
What is your current role?
I am a Neuroscience PhD student at the University of Edinburgh. My research looks at the brains and spinal cords of people who had Motor Neuron Disease (MND). Using state-of-the-art technology, I am trying to figure out why some people live longer with MND than others.
Alongside that, I work part-time job as a Science Communicator for the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic. In this role, I create content that helps people living with and affected by neurological conditions (like MND, Dementia and Parkinson’s) understand more about their condition and the research that they can take part in.
What inspired you to choose a science-based career?
As a teenager, I went to New Scientist Live. My friend and I used to literally count down the days to it. Walking around the stalls, seeing the latest science discoveries, and actually talking to scientists made me feel: “Wow, I want to do this too.” It was the first time I realised science wasn’t just something in textbooks, it’s alive, exciting, and full of people trying to answer big questions.
What subjects did you take at A Level?
I did Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Music! (Yes, Music! It kept me balanced and gave me a creative outlet alongside science).
Where did you go to university and what did you study?
I went to University College London (UCL) and studied Neuroscience. I did an MSci degree - which is basically a combined Bachelor’s and Master’s degree rolled into one.
Can you tell us about your career pathway so far?
After A Levels, I studied Neuroscience at UCL (University College London). During COVID, I did an online internship where I helped create a test for early memory and thinking changes in dementia. (Fun fact: it was a sarcasm test to see if people could detect sarcasm in speech!). This project got me hooked on research!
The next summer, I went to Dundee to do a lab internship. It was a proper thrown-in-the-deep-end experience, but I learnt so much and realised I loved lab work.
In my final year (the Masters year of my degree), I spent 9 months in a lab studying MND, using stem cells (disease in a dish model) to test how a certain gene might increase someone’s risk of developing MND. That led me to where I am now, a PhD focused on MND.
Along the way, I also worked outside of science. For example, I had a job as an administrator for a music charity. Weirdly enough, that job gave me skills that I use all the time in science: organisation, writing risk assessments, writing funding applications, talking to a wide range of people with different goals and interests and even making posters. It just goes to show, whatever you do, you’re building skills that can help you in the future.
What inspired you to get into MND research/work with people with MND?
During my 3rd year at university, a close friend of mine was diagnosed with MND. It was heartbreaking to see what she was going through. I felt helpless but it also gave me a strong drive to focus my work on MND. I knew I couldn’t change things for her, but I could put my energy into research that might help other people in the future.
What is your favourite thing about your work?
The variety. No two days are the same! One of the best feelings is looking down a microscope and realising you’re the first person in the world to see something, even if it’s tiny. Science is a constant adventure of learning, exploring, and discovering.
What is your biggest achievement in your career so far?
Not one big thing, but lots of small things that matter to me.
I’m really proud of the outreach work I’ve done. For example, I’ve helped run a local STEM club for primary school children, mentored secondary school students during lab work experience weeks, and spoken with patients and families living with MND.
All of these experiences remind me why I do what I do. Talking to young people and getting them excited about science or listening to families affected by MND helps me keep my research focused on what actually matters: making a difference to people’s lives.
What do you hope to achieve in your career?
I want to make a difference. That could be through research discoveries, or simply through conversations that help people feel included and understood. Even small actions can make an impact.
Are there any challenges you have had to overcome in your career and how did you overcome them?
Science comes with a lot of rejection: grants, papers, job applications. You just have to pick yourself back up and try again.
I’ve also faced personal health challenges, which slowed me down at times. But I learned that moving at your own pace is okay, what matters is that you keep going. You will get to where you want to go, even if it takes you a bit longer or you take the scenic route!
What advice would you give to someone thinking about a career in science?
- Go for it! Don’t tell yourself you’re “not the type of person” who can do science. Science is for everyone. You don’t need to have the “perfect background” or know everything already. What matters most is curiosity, persistence, and thinking outside of the box.
- Careers don’t follow a straight line. Setbacks and detours are part of the journey, and they often teach you the most.
- Make connections — talk to people, ask questions, reach out. You’ll be surprised how many people are willing to help.
- And finally: science is exciting, creative, and collaborative. It is so much more than working in a lab or analysing data. If you’re curious and want to make a difference, there’s a place for you in science.
We would like to thank Jade for taking the time to tell us about her career journey.
You can read more from Jade in her guest blog about her experience at MND EnCouRage 2025, an event organised by the MND Association for early career researchers (PhD students and people who have recently completed a PhD).