More than meets the eye: spotting brain health in everyday life

Can we re-wire how we see when the centre of vision fails? For millions with age-related macular degeneration, standard eye charts miss the real struggle. As an optometrist and PhD in Physics, I’m building tools beyond simple magnifiers. I compare LED screens to custom DMD projectors to find the precise 'shades of grey' needed for early diagnosis, making it a reliable, accessible tool. By rethinking contrast sensitivity, an often undervalued but vital metric, we aim to use VR to remap images onto healthy retinal tissue dynamically. Join me to see how light and physics restore independence where medicine stops.

When we hear the word “Dementia” we immediately think of Alzheimer's disease. But did you know that Alzheimer's disease and dementia are not exactly the same thing? Did you also know that dementia can occur even without memory loss? Come join me in learning about this form of dementia that is present in almost 15-20% of people with dementia, whose memories are fairly intact and is most frequently misdiagnosed. It is often referred to as the “Chameleon of Dementias” – something that is so common, yet is so obviously hidden in plain sight.

We often think of brain health as something measured in clinics or labs, but what if the clues are already in our everyday lives? From the way we walk and speak to how we react, sleep, and think, scientists are uncovering subtle signals that may reflect changes in the brain long before symptoms appear. This talk explores the rapidly emerging brain health biomarkers, from traditional tools like blood tests and brain scans to emerging digital signals captured through behaviour and everyday sensor arrays. But not every signal is meaningful - so how do we separate real science from noise? Join me for a closer look at what these everyday clues can (and can’t) tell us about the brain, and what it takes to turn them into reliable signals for research and care.