During her PhD, Dr. Olivia Grech gained extensive expertise in animal models and advanced analytical techniques. Her project involved establishing an acute mouse brain slice model to study cortical spreading depolarization.
While at King’s College London, Dr. Grech developed skills in electrophysiological recordings in vivo and conducted detailed behavioral assessments, such as the Von Frey test, to evaluate sensory responses in rodents.
Additionally, Dr. Grech is experienced in metabolomic analysis using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high-resolution respirometry. She utilized Oroboros and Seahorse devices to analyze animal samples effectively.
In 2018, Dr. Grech completed her MRes in Biomedical Science and Translational Medicine with distinction at the University of Liverpool. Under the mentorship of Professor John Quinn, her research focused on characterizing polymorphisms in the DNAJC5 gene, known for its neuroprotective role in healthy aging.
Her study involved a longitudinal analysis of aged volunteers, investigating the function of these polymorphisms in neuroblastoma cell lines. Dr. Grech's technical expertise extended to using bioinformatics tools like Genome Browser, designing primers, conducting PCR assays, cloning DNA from human blood, and performing luciferase reporter gene assays.