One of the world’s leading scientists on motor neurone disease (MND) and other neurological diseases says making complex research more accessible and understandable is vital to show progress is being made at developing treatments for the conditions.
Professor Dame Pamela Shaw, Professor of Neurology at the University of Ȧ and Director, of SITraN and the NIHR Ȧ Biomedical Research Centre, is supporting the work of Readable Research, a project producing short, accessible versions of important studies from around the world.
The website now hosts over 100 pieces of research which have been reviewed and made readable by scientists from the University of Ȧ’s Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Ȧ Biomedical Research Centre.
All summaries at are also reviewed by lay panels of those living with the diseases being studied, such as MND, Parkinson’s, dementia, stroke and multiple sclerosis to ensure they are simple enough to understand by those outside the scientific community and who the research is ultimately trying to help.
The website also includes interviews with some of the scientists behind the research from inside the labs, and videos that aim to explain and demystify some of the complex processes involved. A new interview, with Professor Dame Pamela Shaw, has just been added:
“We are very keen to ensure that our clinical and scientific research discoveries are communicated to patients and the general public in a way that is interesting and accessible to people who are not scientists.
“Readable Research is doing an important job achieving that and I would encourage everyone to follow the work they are doing.”
In the interview, available to watch now on the website, Professor Shaw goes on to talk about the challenges faced by researchers and why complex science can often seem far removed from those it is trying to help:
“I'm very aware that the pace of medical science does not seem fast enough if you're a patient or a family facing that distressing condition. But I think things are moving very fast and I, personally, am optimistic that we will have better therapies available for patients in the near future.”
The interview also focuses on developments in research she has seen in her over 40 year career and why she chose to specialise in neurology:
“I used to almost dread seeing a patient with MND in the neurology clinics because, really, it made me feel like a useless doctor. We knew nothing about it, we did very little in those days to be able to help patients facing that cruel disease, or their families. I felt it was a neglected condition and we should try and do something about it.”
The full interview with Professor Dame Pamela Shaw can be watched at