Category: News

Non-invasive imaging of the eye to predict Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is an increasing global health burden but despite intense research efforts, drug trials have shown little evidence of success. Thankfully, there is now exciting evidence that specialist imaging techniques like optical coherence tomography (OCT) can identify individuals at high risk of developing AD. OCT is a rapid low-cost and non-invasive way to take high-resolution (3-5mm) images of the retina and optic nerves at the back of our eyes and detect early signs of neurodegeneration. It is a technique that is also available in most high street opticians. By using this technique to identify high-risk individuals before they get AD, they have the opportunity to change their lifestyles or enter drug trials at a much earlier stage.

Our aim was to find out how early signs of neurodegeneration in the eye are linked to AD. Using seed corn funding from the Jean Golding Institute, we learnt that measurements of the optic nerves at the back of our eyes can help to determine our future risk of AD. Optic nerve size is associated with eye and brain growth, education, and myopia (short-sightedness). The outcome of our analysis was that people who are more educated and who are more likely to be short-sighted have the lowest risk of AD. Therefore, having to wear glasses is not so bad! Our plan is to run further analysis on other lifestyle and environmental factors that could influence our risk of AD.

If you would like to learn more about this study, please contact denize.atan@bristol.ac.uk

Dr. Denize Atan, Consultant Senior Lecturer, Bristol Medical School (THS)

Brunel’s Networks – Interactive

Maria Pregnolato, Lecturer in Infrastructure Resilience, University of Bristol

James Boyd, Head of Research, Brunel Institute/SS Great Britain Trust

Christopher Woods, Head of Research Software Engineering, Advanced Computing Research Centre, University of Bristol

Brunel’s Networks – Interactive has created a physical real-world exhibit of the online network graphing project Brunel’s Networks. The project uses the archives of the Brunel Institute, a collaboration of the SS Great Britain Trust and University of Bristol, to digitally map the groups of individuals and working I.K. Brunel and major 19th century engineering innovations. This first project was developed as a web tool and was missing a physically interactive display. This JGI Seedcorn funding has provided the resources to create a physically interactive experience, which is now installed and in use at the SS Great Britain site (Figure 1).

By uploading the original code of the network graphing into a stable, non-networked (!) unit, the interactive experience can run continuously in a robust console, helping visitors to the SS Great Britain site understand the history of engineering through innovative data visualizations. The console was presented at the JGI showcase event in small table-top form in June 2022, and received positive feedback from visitors, public use. More feedback of the large-scale interactive exhibit will be evaluated during August, allowing the project researchers to understand how data visualisations help the public to understand the past, and the potential of STEM (e.g. programming) behind activities.

Public evaluations from Brunel’s Networks – Interactive will inform the ways in which the SS Great Britain Trust uses digital interactives and data visualizations in future exhibit use – a critical issue in developing contemporary visitor experience and public engagement. This interdisciplinary project combined historical research from the museum with research software engineering from the University, to improve the use of data visualisation in historical analysis, and to use data visualisation as an interpretive museum tool.

JGI Student Experience Profiles: Maciej Glowacki (Ask-JGI Data Science Support 2021-22)

What made you decide to apply to join the Ask-JGI team? 

Applying to be a part of the Ask-JGI team was an easy choice. Even though I wasn’t actively searching, I always wanted to be a part of a more diverse data science community. I guess I was curious as to how my know-how from particle physics would transfer and be perceived in the wider landscape of working with data, so when the opportunity presented it seemed like the natural fit that would put these questions to rest. 

Looking back, my decision to take a step out of my little corner of the room to discover the huge scope of data science projects was for sure validated! Along the way, I met some fascinating people making headway on challenging and relevant problems.  

What did you find most rewarding about your Ask-JGI experience? 

The hallmark of joining the Ask-JGI cohort is the people you work and interact with. The impressive breadth of talent across the Ask-JGI student team makes it the ideal place to develop and establish really valuable connections in the process. The class of 2022 will stay in touch long after the program’s conclusion! 

What sort of work did you do as a part of your Ask-JGI experience? 

Over the course of the past six months I immersed myself in some really captivating projects, ranging from statistics and machine learning to data visualisation and network analyses. The line of work the JGI is involved in comes in all shapes and sizes; from assisting graduate students with their research programmes to cross-disciplinary endeavours with professional researchers. 

The most substantial piece of work I was involved with during my time with the JGI was a collaboration with the Political Science department aiming to interrogate hierarchy structures within organisations. That is, it looked to quantify how an individual’s network within an institution impacted their progression potential. The prototype for this focused on academic circles, and quantified the connections between individuals based on their network and reach. Connections between two individuals were based on a “hierarchical structure”. Whereby, the edges between two nodes (individuals) are weighted proportionally based on either presenting at or chairing a conference panel, thus identifying connection strength between individuals to expose the formation of patterns and recognise “gate-keepers”.  

Would you recommend this experience to other students? 

I would recommend joining the JGI team for anyone interested in the wide reach of data science. On top of this, you’ll meet cool people, coordinate various initiatives, contribute towards live events, and develop skills you’ll be thankful for in the future!

JGI Student Experience Profiles: Richard Pyle (Ask-JGI Data Science Support 2021-22)

My time with Ask-JGI over the past year has given me so much more than I could have expected. From advising on data visualisation for Russian Hip Hop, to deep learning for rainfall prediction, events organisation, and even possible collaboration on a funded research project. I applied to Ask-JGI with the primary goal of getting exposure to data science in fields outside my own, and a feel for how I could translate my skills into advice in those fields. I have most definitely succeeded in those goals, but I have also gained so much more. 

One of the things I did not expect was how valuable the ‘cohort’ experience of Ask-JGI would be. Not only does working collaboratively with other Ask-JGI students improve the quality of advice we give, and remove the need for an individual to know everything, it naturally builds both a professional and social network. These relationships were also built by organising events together, which was another experience I did not anticipate being part of Ask-JGI, but am glad it was. Events organisation and facilitation is not something commonly in a postgrad’s remit, and it was a refreshing change of pace. Being part of the Bristol Data & AI Showcase was especially enjoyable. Meeting and greeting people as they arrived at an event which I helped to contribute to was a lovely experience. 

The staff at the JGI have also been fantastic. The level of support and understanding has been incredible. When I’ve been busy with research commitments, every effort has been made to ensure time management is possible. Then, in times where I’ve had more time to commit to JGI tasks I’ve felt there was always something exciting to contribute to and I was trusted with a good level of responsibility in executing it. Overall, I would recommend being part of Ask-JGI to any postgrad looking to broaden their horizons to new fields and experiences.