Co-Chair – Emma Yhnell

Dr Emma Yhnell is a multi-award winning science communicator and educator, she obtained a BSc Honours degree in Biochemistry from Cardiff University before completing a PhD exploring Huntington’s disease (HD) in the laboratory. She then obtained an independent research fellowship funded by the Welsh Government through Health and Care Research Wales to translate her findings on cognitive training into the HD patient clinic. Her work looked to see if computerised brain training is feasible for people impacted by Huntington’s disease. Emma now works as a Senior Lecturer at Cardiff University, teaching the next generation of budding scientists. In addition to her research and teaching, Emma is experienced in public engagement, outreach and science communication. She is a regular media commentator and alongside writing award winning science communication articles and she was an invited contributor to the DK Books ‘How the Brain Works’ and ‘Simply the Brain’. She has presented her work in Parliament, spoken at the Hay Festival, Soapbox Science and Pint of Science. In 2021 Emma was named as the youngest ever Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales and in 2023 she was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship for the quality of her excellent teaching practices.

Co-Chair – Christina Dalla

Dr Christina Dalla is an Associate Professor at the Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, past-President of the Hellenic Society for Neurosciences, President-elect of the Mediterranean Neuroscience Society and President of the Hellenic Brain Council. She is also a member of the board of directors of the European Brain Foundation, Section Editor for the European Journal of Neuroscience regarding sex differences, a member of the FENS Communication Committee and a member of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Educational Committee. Her work focuses on sex differences in animal models of depression, anxiety and cognition, as well as in novel pharmacological treatments.  Dr. Dalla has received two Marie Curie Fellowships, as well as numerous awards and distinctions, such as the “L’Oreal-Unesco” for Greek Women in Science and the ECNP fellowship award.