Sophie Goldsmith

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Sophie Goldsmith

PhD Student

Sophie is a final year PhD Student in the Wray Lab using brain organoids to investigate the biological mechanisms behind progranulin- (GRN) related frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Her doctoral work aims to model cellular pathology and disease progression in human-derived stem cell models.

Alongside her doctoral work, she continues to co-lead the GENFI Participant Engagement Board and participant webinar series, fostering direct communication between researchers and families affected by FTD.

Sophie joined the GENFI team as a Research Assistant as the UCL Study Coordinator, managing and running participant visits and study data collection. She has an MSc in Molecular Neuroscience and a BSc in Psychology and from the University of Bristol.

Invited Talks

  • GENFI Investigator’s Meeting 2026 (Lisbon, June): An update on the GENFI Participant Engagement Board
  • UCL Women in STEM Society & UCL Dementia Research Society 2026 (London, March): Using forebrain organoid and microglia models to study frontotemporal dementia
  • UCL ALS-FTD Network 2025 (London, July): A forebrain organoid model of progranulin-associated frontotemporal dementia
  • fFTD Rare Dementia Support Group Meeting 2024 (London, July): Building mini brains in a dish to study dementia
  • fFTD Rare Dementia Support Group Meeting 2023 (London, July): The familial frontotemporal dementia clinic – what we do and what we can offer?
  • FTD Rare Dementia Support Group Meeting 2023 (London, July): Frontotemporal dementia research and trials update
  • fFTD Rare Dementia Support Group Meeting 2022 (London, June): GENFI trials and research update