Isabelle Foote
She/Her
I am a lesbian and I am a nurse researcher.//
I’m a registered nurse doing a PhD at Queen Mary University of London (UK). My main research interest is trying to identify the mechanisms by which risk factors of dementia lead to cognitive decline and how targeting these pathways might prevent dementia. I am also interested in how social disparities impact disease on a biological level. My current PhD project is primarily focused on the relationship between depression and dementia using genetic epidemiology methods. I also completed an MSc in Neuroscience at King’s College London prior to my PhD.
I struggled a lot with coming to terms with my sexuality. When I did come out, I was lucky that my family and closest friends supported me, but I felt I was going against a societal norm as most people didn’t believe I was gay because ‘I didn’t look like a lesbian.’ However, since entering STEM academia in the UK, my experience has been that it is a very inclusive environment and I feel able to work openly as myself confidently. I hope that movements like 500 Queer Scientists can help make more and more people feel accepted wherever and whoever they are.