Anna McLaughlin

I am a third year PhD student at King's College London, where I am researching the role of the immune system in mental health and metabolism. Before going into science I studied art, so I have a strong interest in how scientific and creative communities can share knowledge with one another, in a way that engages the public.

While working at King's I have been involved in a range of science communication projects, including launching Facebook and Twitter pages for the Stress, Psychiatry & Immunology (SPI) lab, co-ordinating an interactive audio-visual exhibition with Science Gallery London, writing a blog for MQ Mental Health and writing news stories on novel scientific publications for the King's Press Office.

My writing aims to explain how groundbreaking medical and neuroscience research is connected to mental health and creativity, in a way that encourages a wider audience to engage with science. Writing blogs for Inspire the Mind is a fantastic way to do this.