Darragh O'Brien
@darraghobrien.bsky.social
Translational Proteomics & Neurodegenerative Disease at the University of Oxford. Tauopathy & Dementia. Protein structural plasticity, modification, and clearance. Research Fellow of Green Templeton College.
Had a great time representing the Human Brain Proteome Project during the "Friends of HUPO" social at #HUPO2025 last night. If you want to get involved, or simply hear more about the initiative, please get in touch 🧠
November 11, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Had a great time representing the Human Brain Proteome Project during the "Friends of HUPO" social at #HUPO2025 last night. If you want to get involved, or simply hear more about the initiative, please get in touch 🧠
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
Two Postdoctoral Researcher Positions at University of Oxford to study Alzheimer’s disease using AI and iPSC models in the Translational Neuroscience Group. Closing date: 6th November
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/postdoc-...
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/postdoc-...
Postdoc Researcher: Modelling Alzheimer’s’ with iPSCs & AI Phenotyping
Two Postdoctoral Researchers at University of Oxford to study Alzheimer’s disease using AI and iPSC models in the Translational Neuroscience Group.
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
October 18, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Two Postdoctoral Researcher Positions at University of Oxford to study Alzheimer’s disease using AI and iPSC models in the Translational Neuroscience Group. Closing date: 6th November
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/postdoc-...
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/postdoc-...
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
NEW: We’re honoured to be ranked number one in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the tenth consecutive year. 👏
October 9, 2025 at 9:07 AM
NEW: We’re honoured to be ranked number one in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the tenth consecutive year. 👏
Many thanks for the spotlight! "Trasna na dTonnta" (Across the Waves) is a great initiative from @drni.bsky.social for the Irish dementia research diaspora – a global community linking Irish dementia researchers on the island of Ireland to those undertaking research abroad #brainwaves 🧠🌊
🔦DRNI's Trasna na dTonnta has set its spotlight on @darraghobrien.bsky.social , neuroscientist at @ox.ac.uk!
➡️To learn more about Darragh's work in translational proteomics & neurodegenerative disease, & about Trasna na dTonnta, go to: dementianetwork.ie/trasna-na-dt...
➡️To learn more about Darragh's work in translational proteomics & neurodegenerative disease, & about Trasna na dTonnta, go to: dementianetwork.ie/trasna-na-dt...
Trasna na dTonnta | Dementia Research Network Ireland
dementianetwork.ie
September 11, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Many thanks for the spotlight! "Trasna na dTonnta" (Across the Waves) is a great initiative from @drni.bsky.social for the Irish dementia research diaspora – a global community linking Irish dementia researchers on the island of Ireland to those undertaking research abroad #brainwaves 🧠🌊
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
University of Oxford seeks Research Associate to study extracellular vesicles and biomarkers in Parkinson’s disease using blood samples and iPSC based models. Closing date: 3rd October
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
Research Associate: Extracellular Vesicle Biomarkers
University of Oxford seeks Research Associate to study extracellular vesicles and biomarkers in Parkinson’s disease using blood samples and iPSC based models.
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
September 11, 2025 at 9:10 AM
University of Oxford seeks Research Associate to study extracellular vesicles and biomarkers in Parkinson’s disease using blood samples and iPSC based models. Closing date: 3rd October
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
Excited contribute to this year’s lunch hour lecture program! It’s a free event and accessible to a non-specialist audience so please come and join me :)
🧠 What if we could watch dementia unfold in a dish—and stop it before it starts?
Join Prof @selinawray.bsky.social (@uclqsion.bsky.social) on 18 Sept for a free @UCL Lunch Hour Lecture exploring the future of dementia research.
📅 1–2pm | 💻 Online
🔗 www.ucl.ac.uk/events/event...
Join Prof @selinawray.bsky.social (@uclqsion.bsky.social) on 18 Sept for a free @UCL Lunch Hour Lecture exploring the future of dementia research.
📅 1–2pm | 💻 Online
🔗 www.ucl.ac.uk/events/event...
August 22, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Excited contribute to this year’s lunch hour lecture program! It’s a free event and accessible to a non-specialist audience so please come and join me :)
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
ICYMI: New online! Trans-synaptic tau propagation in progressive supranuclear palsy
Trans-synaptic tau propagation in progressive supranuclear palsy
Nature Reviews Neurology, Published online: 05 August 2025; doi:10.1038/s41582-025-01129-zNew evidence supports trans-synaptic propagation of tau pathology in the neurodegenerative disease progressive supranuclear palsy.
bit.ly
August 7, 2025 at 4:55 AM
ICYMI: New online! Trans-synaptic tau propagation in progressive supranuclear palsy
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
Blood Biomarkers: Testing for Alzheimer’s Disease
Professor Jonathan Schott @jmschott.bsky.social (UCL) explains how blood tests are reshaping Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Clear, current and clinically relevant.
Recorded at the Wessex Dementia Research Conference
youtu.be/3fLl1Mzwbsk
Professor Jonathan Schott @jmschott.bsky.social (UCL) explains how blood tests are reshaping Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Clear, current and clinically relevant.
Recorded at the Wessex Dementia Research Conference
youtu.be/3fLl1Mzwbsk
Blood Biomarkers & Testing for Alzheimer’s Disease
YouTube video by Dementia Researcher
youtu.be
August 4, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Blood Biomarkers: Testing for Alzheimer’s Disease
Professor Jonathan Schott @jmschott.bsky.social (UCL) explains how blood tests are reshaping Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Clear, current and clinically relevant.
Recorded at the Wessex Dementia Research Conference
youtu.be/3fLl1Mzwbsk
Professor Jonathan Schott @jmschott.bsky.social (UCL) explains how blood tests are reshaping Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Clear, current and clinically relevant.
Recorded at the Wessex Dementia Research Conference
youtu.be/3fLl1Mzwbsk
A great story to be part of! Kudos to Mária, Anna, Anne, Sally and all of the team🧠
Tracking tau and cellular responses in human iPSC-microglia from uptake to seedable secretion in extracellular vesicles
The templated spread of tau aggregates in tauopathies has been attributed to neuron-to- neuron spread, but microglia have also been implicated through mouse studies. Here we examine in detail the upta...
www.biorxiv.org
August 4, 2025 at 8:29 AM
A great story to be part of! Kudos to Mária, Anna, Anne, Sally and all of the team🧠
Encaenia 2025 @ox.ac.uk with my 🧠 buddy @stephfowler.bsky.social. It was great to see fellow Enniscorthy native Colm Tóibín receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters for his contribution to literature and journalism 💜💛
June 25, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Encaenia 2025 @ox.ac.uk with my 🧠 buddy @stephfowler.bsky.social. It was great to see fellow Enniscorthy native Colm Tóibín receive the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters for his contribution to literature and journalism 💜💛
Fantastic start to the day here at the 3rd "Human Proteome and Health" Symposium at Rhodes House where Dr Katerina Gospodinova from the ARUK-ODDI and @cmd.ox.ac.uk discussed proteomic profiling of the #matrisome for use a novel therapeutic modality in #Alzheimers Disease 🧠 @arukthamesv.bsky.social
June 25, 2025 at 8:36 AM
Fantastic start to the day here at the 3rd "Human Proteome and Health" Symposium at Rhodes House where Dr Katerina Gospodinova from the ARUK-ODDI and @cmd.ox.ac.uk discussed proteomic profiling of the #matrisome for use a novel therapeutic modality in #Alzheimers Disease 🧠 @arukthamesv.bsky.social
Our review is out now in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics! We discuss the latest advances in #HDX mass spectrometry to aid neurotherapeutic design & development in #Alzheimers, #Parkinsons and #ALS, providing molecular insights into protein aggregation pathways and therapeutic antibodies 🧠
Driving Therapeutic Innovation in Neurodegenerative Disease with Hydrogen Deuterium eXchange Mass Spectrometry
Human neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease are
characterized by the formation and deposition of toxic protein species which exacerbate
neuronal dysfunction, impacti...
www.mcponline.org
June 23, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Our review is out now in Molecular & Cellular Proteomics! We discuss the latest advances in #HDX mass spectrometry to aid neurotherapeutic design & development in #Alzheimers, #Parkinsons and #ALS, providing molecular insights into protein aggregation pathways and therapeutic antibodies 🧠
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
External link live! Please share widely :-)
WE ARE RECRUITING! 🥳
Are you an epidemiologist with strong quantitative skills and an interest in contributing to exciting research into the genetic architecture of vascular dementia? Come join our friendly and productive team at UCL!
shorturl.at/aZ5Ua
WE ARE RECRUITING! 🥳
Are you an epidemiologist with strong quantitative skills and an interest in contributing to exciting research into the genetic architecture of vascular dementia? Come join our friendly and productive team at UCL!
shorturl.at/aZ5Ua
June 11, 2025 at 8:51 AM
External link live! Please share widely :-)
WE ARE RECRUITING! 🥳
Are you an epidemiologist with strong quantitative skills and an interest in contributing to exciting research into the genetic architecture of vascular dementia? Come join our friendly and productive team at UCL!
shorturl.at/aZ5Ua
WE ARE RECRUITING! 🥳
Are you an epidemiologist with strong quantitative skills and an interest in contributing to exciting research into the genetic architecture of vascular dementia? Come join our friendly and productive team at UCL!
shorturl.at/aZ5Ua
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
Very pleased to share our review in @molneurodegen.bsky.social, assessing evidence for #ExtracellularVesicle associated #TDP43. We highlight knowledge gaps relating to its biomarker usage and possible involvement in seeding of templated aggregation in #ALS, #FTD and #LATE.
doi.org/10.1186/s130...
doi.org/10.1186/s130...
Extracellular vesicles in TDP-43 proteinopathies: pathogenesis and biomarker potential - Molecular Neurodegeneration
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-enclosed nanoparticles released by most cell types, and from multiple sub-cellular compartments. They carry a range of cargo biomolecules, including protein a...
doi.org
June 10, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Very pleased to share our review in @molneurodegen.bsky.social, assessing evidence for #ExtracellularVesicle associated #TDP43. We highlight knowledge gaps relating to its biomarker usage and possible involvement in seeding of templated aggregation in #ALS, #FTD and #LATE.
doi.org/10.1186/s130...
doi.org/10.1186/s130...
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
June 9, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
Could blood tests reduce diagnostic delays for dementia? Experts weigh in on our podcast – don’t miss this timely discussion with @ajh1269.bsky.social @ukdri.ac.uk Dr Mark Roskey from Quanterix and Dr Jay Amin, University of Southampton
Dementia Researcher: Clinical opportunity for Blood-based Biomarkers
In this episode of the Dementia Researcher podcast, host Dr Amanda Heslegrave leads an insightful discussion on one of the most promising developments in dementia diagnostics: blood-based biomarker...
pod.fo
June 9, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Could blood tests reduce diagnostic delays for dementia? Experts weigh in on our podcast – don’t miss this timely discussion with @ajh1269.bsky.social @ukdri.ac.uk Dr Mark Roskey from Quanterix and Dr Jay Amin, University of Southampton
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
Keeping up with the literature is essential. But so is devoting time to developing your own scientific ideas, writes Sheena Josselyn.
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/craft-and-ca...
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/craft-and-ca...
On the importance of reading (just not too much)
The real fun of being a neuroscientist, and maybe the key to asking and answering new questions, is to think big and take intellectual risks.
www.thetransmitter.org
June 9, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Keeping up with the literature is essential. But so is devoting time to developing your own scientific ideas, writes Sheena Josselyn.
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/craft-and-ca...
#neuroskyence
www.thetransmitter.org/craft-and-ca...
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
🚨MRC Research Fellow Vacancy:
Studying microglial ageing utilising iPSC-based cell biology, screening, biochemistry, genomics, imaging & bioinformatics
@dervissalih1.bsky.social, UK DRI at UCL
🗓️ Closing 26 June
👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
Studying microglial ageing utilising iPSC-based cell biology, screening, biochemistry, genomics, imaging & bioinformatics
@dervissalih1.bsky.social, UK DRI at UCL
🗓️ Closing 26 June
👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
UCL – University College London
UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2022) and is No.2 in the UK for research power (Research Excellence Framework 2021).
www.ucl.ac.uk
June 3, 2025 at 4:11 PM
🚨MRC Research Fellow Vacancy:
Studying microglial ageing utilising iPSC-based cell biology, screening, biochemistry, genomics, imaging & bioinformatics
@dervissalih1.bsky.social, UK DRI at UCL
🗓️ Closing 26 June
👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
Studying microglial ageing utilising iPSC-based cell biology, screening, biochemistry, genomics, imaging & bioinformatics
@dervissalih1.bsky.social, UK DRI at UCL
🗓️ Closing 26 June
👉 www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/...
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
Join the UKDRI at UCL in the Salih Lab to explore how glial-specific longevity genes affect ageing and Alzheimer’s, using iPSC models, genomics, and molecular biology @ukdri.ac.uk @dervissalih1.bsky.social Closing date: 26th June
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
Research Fellow: Immune system and Cognitive function
Join the UKDRI at UCL in the Salih Lab to explore how glial-specific longevity genes affect ageing & Alzheimer’s using iPSC models, genomics & molecular biology
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
May 31, 2025 at 9:38 PM
Join the UKDRI at UCL in the Salih Lab to explore how glial-specific longevity genes affect ageing and Alzheimer’s, using iPSC models, genomics, and molecular biology @ukdri.ac.uk @dervissalih1.bsky.social Closing date: 26th June
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
New research led by Dr Frances Wiseman (UK DRI at @uclqsion.bsky.social) demonstrates that levels of Apolipoprotein E (APOE), a protein implicated in Alzheimer’s, are increased in the brains of individuals with Down syndrome & Alzheimer's 🧠
Read the full story👉https://buff.ly/5WnCY4s
Read the full story👉https://buff.ly/5WnCY4s
May 23, 2025 at 8:20 AM
New research led by Dr Frances Wiseman (UK DRI at @uclqsion.bsky.social) demonstrates that levels of Apolipoprotein E (APOE), a protein implicated in Alzheimer’s, are increased in the brains of individuals with Down syndrome & Alzheimer's 🧠
Read the full story👉https://buff.ly/5WnCY4s
Read the full story👉https://buff.ly/5WnCY4s
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
High-Resolution Spatial Profiling of Microglia Reveals Proximity Associated Immunometabolic Reprogramming in Alzheimers Disease https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.16.654329v1
May 16, 2025 at 3:15 PM
High-Resolution Spatial Profiling of Microglia Reveals Proximity Associated Immunometabolic Reprogramming in Alzheimers Disease https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.05.16.654329v1
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
The @ukdri.ac.uk at UCL is recruiting a lab manager to oversee daily operations and contribute to pioneering neuro-glia-immune research in ageing and neurodegeneration. Closing date: 21st May
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
Research Laboratory Manager - DEMENTIA RESEARCHER
The UK DRI at UCL is recruiting a lab manager to oversee daily operations and contribute to pioneering neuro-glia-immune research in ageing & neurodegeneration
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk
May 9, 2025 at 9:57 AM
The @ukdri.ac.uk at UCL is recruiting a lab manager to oversee daily operations and contribute to pioneering neuro-glia-immune research in ageing and neurodegeneration. Closing date: 21st May
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
A nice read and ICYMI here is our cited paper from the end of last year on the microglia contribution to Familial British Dementia:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
May 11, 2025 at 9:04 AM
A nice read and ICYMI here is our cited paper from the end of last year on the microglia contribution to Familial British Dementia:
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Darragh O'Brien
'Evidence suggesting that #microglia make #amyloid from neuronally expressed APP: a hypothesis'
John Hardy & Patrick Lewis
molecularneurodegeneration.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
John Hardy & Patrick Lewis
molecularneurodegeneration.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
Evidence suggesting that microglia make amyloid from neuronally expressed APP: a hypothesis - Molecular Neurodegeneration
While APP is largely neuonally expressed, Aβ amyloid is largely produced by microglia as the clearance mechanisms for damaged membranes becomes overwhelmed.
molecularneurodegeneration.biomedcentral.com
May 9, 2025 at 9:39 PM
'Evidence suggesting that #microglia make #amyloid from neuronally expressed APP: a hypothesis'
John Hardy & Patrick Lewis
molecularneurodegeneration.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....
John Hardy & Patrick Lewis
molecularneurodegeneration.biomedcentral.com/articles/10....