Holly Tyroll Email & Phone Number

Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

I am currently developing biologically plausible models of neuronal activity for my PhD project. My wet-lab work involves the cortical differentiation of iPSCs and the recording of electrical activity emmited by these cells using Multiple Electrode Array (MEA) technology.Alongside this, I demonstrate to undergraduate bioscience students practical skills with a focus on neurophysiology. I also co-organise, moderate and contribute to biweekly 'modeller's meetings' in which skills are shared and current research discussed amongst the Cardiff Bioscience computational modelling community.

Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

University Of Oxford

I worked as a visiting researcher at a lab run by Dr. Simon Stringer of OFTNAI (Oxford Foundation for Theoretical Neuroscience and Artificial Intelligence) at Oxford University. Here, I researched neural network modelling of brain function and worked alongside PhD students who were developing biologically realistic ‘spiking’ neural network models. I also worked on a personal collaboration with Prof Johnjoe McFadden, a quantum biologist at Surrey University; our aim was to incorporate the electromagnetic field into an artificial neural network. This opportunity involved the use of the programming languages Python, C++ and MATLAB, and allowed me to apply my knowledge of neuroscience and computational modelling to cutting-edge research.

University Of Oxford

I worked for Oxford University’s NEUROSEC (Neuroscience, Ethics and Society) as a research intern, taking part in the Citizens: EIE projects, Digital Diaries and The Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health. I coded large amounts of questionnaire data, designed pages for the campaign on various platforms, and attended meetings with a global team of young leaders. I also took part in a pilot study that used virtual reality to measure empathy, which was a great experience of the use of technology in psychological research.

University Of Oxford

As a member of the Young People’s Advisory Group for Neuroscience and Ethics at Oxford University, I researched chatbot apps for their effectiveness in providing psychotherapy. In BBC Tomorrow’s World video clip titled ‘Would you trust a chatbot therapist?’ I spoke with my peers about the uses of artificial intelligence in supporting young people with mental health conditions. A fellow member and I compiled the team's research into a paper which was developed by our lead researches and won the Public Engagement Award at OxTalent 2018, before being published this year (linked).