Julia Salafranca Gomez, DPhil student at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, studies the role of neutrophils in rheumatic conditions and how their functions are changed in disease. As neutrophils are present in many inflammatory conditions, understanding these specialised white blood cells could result in the development of new therapeutic targets. Julia is also an advocate for the value of patient and public involvement (PPI) in research. In this interview, Julia talks about how patient perspectives can shape research strategy in the direction most meaningful to patients and can help DPhil students communicate their research in an accessible way. Julia discusses how involving patients and the public in her research has given her a well-rounded DPhil experience and motivates her to explore new treatment avenues for life-altering inflammatory diseases.
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