PhD success for Rowling Scholar
![Four people standing in a seminar room. Left to right is Dr Axel Montagne [internal examiner], Prof Giampetro Schiavo [external examiner], Dr Maria Stavrou [PhD candidate], Prof Selina Wray [external examiner]. The photo was taken after Maria's "viva voce" (oral) examination of her PhD.](https://www.annerowlingclinic.org/sites/default/files/styles/simplecroparticle/public/field/image/Maria%20Stavrou%20viva%20%28Axel%20Montagne%2C%20Giampetro%20Schiavo%2C%20Maria%20Stavrou%2C%20Selina%20Wray%29_750x500.jpg?itok=2Do31R0O&sc=c9d4b864e31eef001a09e003b6d3bc75)
Aug 2024: Many congratulations to former Rowling Scholar Dr Maria Stavrou, who has completed her PhD investigating the mechanisms of motor neuron disease. Here, Maria has summarised her PhD work and future plans.
I am Maria Stavrou, a clinical neurology trainee in Edinburgh, eagerly approaching my transition to consultant status this month.
My career has been fuelled by a profound passion for both clinical practice and scientific enquiry, with the aspiration of becoming a clinician-scientist who seamlessly integrates these two realms. I graduated with First Class Honours in Medical Sciences and an intercalated BSc in Physiology from University College London (UCL).
I was awarded a Rowling Scholarship in 2017, which has been instrumental in propelling my research pursuits, further complemented by the MRC clinical fellowship that has funded my PhD journey.
My PhD research, supervised by Professors Siddharthan Chandran and Giles Hardingham, delves into the complexities of motor neuron disease (MND). Working with cells growing in dishes in the lab, we studied the interactions between nerve cells and a type of supporting cell in the brain called astrocytes. We identified a new way in which astrocytes control the transport of cellular materials along nerves. This transport mechanism is defective in MND. We have promising early results that boosting the astrocytes’ mitochondria (the “batteries” or “power-houses” of the cell) might reduce the transport defect.
As I look ahead, my immediate objective is to secure a postdoctoral position supported by an intermediate fellowship, where I can continue my research in a nurturing environment at the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic, Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research and UK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh. I aim to contribute meaningful insights to enhance our understanding and treatment options for neurodegenerative disorders.
I am grateful for the opportunity afforded by the Rowling Scholarship, which has been pivotal in shaping my academic journey.
Related links
Find out more about our stem cell laboratory research
Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research [external website]
UK Dementia Research Institute [external website]
Image (L-R): Dr Axel Montagne [internal examiner], Prof Giampetro Schiavo [external examiner], Dr Maria Stavrou [PhD candidate], Prof Selina Wray [external examiner]. The photo was taken after Maria's "viva voce" (oral) examination of her PhD.