Thanks to a partnership with Alzheimer’s Research UK, Martingale is expanding its scholarship portfolio into Data Science in Healthcare for the first time.
Two Martingale Scholars are due to start their PhDs this autumn, joining crucial research projects into dementia at two of Martingale’s prestigious university partners.
These scholarships mark a key milestone in Martingale’s expansion. It is partnerships like these with charities and industry that enable Martingale to advance its mission of ensuring that the most talented STEM university students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds can continue their research and flourish at postgraduate level.
One scholar, Samana Bano, will be joining the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, in the University of Cambridge Department of Clinical Neurosciences, to pursue research that aims to harmonise MRI brain scan data across hospitals, leading to the improved use of AI in dementia diagnosis. The research will be supervised by leading cognitive neurology expert Professor Tim Rittman.
Another, Hannah McKay, will join King’s College London as a PhD researcher within the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Data-Driven Health (DRIVE-Health), where she will undertake research into hospital care pathways for people with dementia, including the impact of hospital stays on patient outcomes. Her PhD is jointly funded by the EPSRC DRIVE-Health CDT and Alzheimer’s Research UK and will be supervised by renowned Professor Robert Stewart, Professor of Epidemiology and Clinical Informatics.
Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading dementia research charity, working to revolutionise the way dementia is treated, diagnosed and prevented. Dr Jacqui Hanley, Head of Research Funding at Alzheimer’s Research UK, commented:
“We are delighted to be supporting these promising students. Our partnership with the Martingale Foundation reflects important values in our research strategy, and we’re excited about the difference that this collaboration can make. By supporting students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, we help ensure that potential—not circumstance—guides emerging talent into dementia research.”
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia -a condition which affects more than a million people in the UK and for which there is no cure. Researchers have estimated that 1.7[i] million people could be living with dementia in England and Wales by 2040.
Martingale PhD offer holder Samana Bano, commented:
“Receiving a Martingale Scholarship has genuinely changed what’s possible for me. It has removed the financial pressure of doing a PhD and given me the confidence and practical support to pursue research I care deeply about. The Martingale team explained the ‘hidden curriculum’ around postgraduate applications, guided me through the whole process, and their interview preparation support was fantastic.
I’m really looking forward to starting my PhD at Cambridge Biomedical Campus this autumn, where I’ll be exploring how my statistics and machine learning background could be used to improve earlier and more accurate detection of dementia. I already feel part of the Martingale community, and I’m incredibly grateful to Martingale and its partners for opening this door for me.
The team has been incredibly supportive throughout the PhD application process and the PhD Showcase was a great chance to speak directly with a Cambridge representative (Dr Zahara Girones Delgado-Urena, Department of Clinical Neurosciences), to see what studying there could be like and what their department and team was like.”
Martingale PhD offer holder Hannah McKay, commented:
“I’m really proud to be joining the EPSRC DRIVE-Health CDT programme at King’s College London this autumn and to start my PhD exploring the factors that impact dementia progression. Whilst I knew I wanted to continue pursuing research after my MSci, for a while I really didn’t think it would be possible. The financial burden of PhD study looked like too much of a barrier.
I’m so glad I found out about the Martingale Data Science in Healthcare Scholarships, co- funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK and that I decided to apply. I would urge anyone else in my position to do the same – the application process is rigorous but if you’re talented and passionate about the research area, then I would say, give it a go.”
Cassie Hugill, Chief Executive Officer at Martingale Foundation, commented:
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Alzheimer’s Research UK and expanding the range of scholarships we offer. At Martingale we’re committed to ensuring those with the talent can pursue PhD research, no matter their background and the barriers they may face. I am incredibly impressed by the calibre of our two new Data Science in Healthcare Scholars and the passion they have for their research areas. I know they are looking forward to starting their research projects in autumn and playing their part in advancing dementia research. We would like to thank Alzheimer’s Research UK for supporting Martingale’s mission and we look forward to further collaboration over the coming years.”
Martingale is already supporting more than a hundred STEM masters and PhD scholars from low-socioeconomic backgrounds and has pledged to support 800 postgraduates by 2030.
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For further details please contact the Martingale Communications Manager: [email protected].
Further information about the Martingale PhD Data Science in Healthcare research projects:
Cambridge Biomedical Campus, University of Cambridge: The research project is seen as critical in removing a key barrier that limits the use of AI methods for early diagnosis of dementia in memory clinics. It is expected to lead to a standard toolkit that can be widely applied across different AI measures to ensure a highly accurate diagnosis regardless of where a person is scanned or the quality of their MRI scanner.
EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Data-Driven Health (DRIVE-Health), King’s College London: The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Data-Driven Health (DRIVE-Health) trains the next generation of health data scientists. The project will use pre-linked healthcare data in southeast London to assemble cohorts of people with dementia and to investigate the impact both of dementia on general hospital care pathways and of these care pathways on the course and outcome of dementia, comparing cases with informative matched control groups at specific intervention points.
About Martingale Foundation
Martingale Foundation was founded with the belief that family income should never be a barrier to academic excellence, and partners with leading UK universities to open doors for the brightest minds. Martingale Foundation is made possible by founding donor XTX Markets and is incubated by Purposeful Ventures, a non-profit organisation working towards a fairer society where all young people thrive, initially with a focus on exceptional mathematical talent.
[i] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(23)00214-1/fulltext