Prof Jeremy Spencer

Professor Spencer received his PhD from King’s College London in 1997 and is currently Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry and Medicine at the University of Reading. His research group is recognised as one of the leading groups in the world dedicated to working mechanistically at the interface of dietary phytochemicals and brain function. His initial work focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal death in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Recent interests concern how flavonoids, and other dietary phenolics, influence brain health through their interactions with specific cellular signaling pathways pivotal in protection against neurotoxins, in promoting cerebrovascular blood flow, in preventing neuroinflammation and in controlling memory, learning and neuro-cognitive performance. His work also pursues the actions of flavonoids and flavonoid-rich foods on the vascular system, in particular their potential to reduce blood pressure, enhance vascular function and improve blood perfusion to the brain. Professor Spencer has published over 200 peer-reviewed manuscripts, is Editor-in-Chief of Nutrition and Healthy Aging and is an Institute for Scientific Information highly-cited researcher (2017-2020).