Dr Gordon Waiter

Biography

Dr. Waiter graduated from the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, in 1989 with a BSc (Hons) in Physical Sciences majoring in Physics. He then moved to Dundee University, Department of Medical Physics as Research Assistant, to develop MR imaging test objects. He returned to Aberdeen in 1991, this time to the University of Aberdeen to undertake a PhD in Medical Physics, under the supervision of Dr. M. Foster
 

He joined the staff of Aberdeen University in 1996 as a research fellow working in collaboration with the university Department of BioMedical Physics and NHS Department of Cardiology to develop image analysis methods for the detection of hibernating myocardium.

In 2001 Dr Waiter joined the School of Psychology to help initiate functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on a new 1.5T research dedicated scanner at the University of Aberdeen.

In 2004 he joined the Department of Radiology (now part of the Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre) to continue the development of functional magnetic resonance imaging in Aberdeen. His work has included paradigm design, data analysis, data acquisition, quality control and image analysis.

Dr Waiter was appointed Reader in 2021.

Research Overview

Dr. Gordon Waiter's main areas of interest are in brain plasticity and cognition with a focus on the mechanisms of age-related cognitive decline and in particular the role of inflammation, both chronic and acute, and immunosenescence in brain ageing.

The pathology that leads to dementia begins many decades before symptoms appear. It is hoped that an improved understanding of the age-related changes in brain health and cognition, and the impact of cardiometabolic and inflammation factors, will have an impact on public health through targets for intervention, earlier diagnosis, therapy monitoring and drug development. It will bring a new understanding of common neurodegenerative diseases at a personalised level, allowing individualised treatment and new ways to diagnose the brain diseases that lead to dementia.

Dr. Waiter has developed a multisystem approach based on a combination of novel and established computational neuroimaging, biochemistry, and statistical modelling methods and is applying them to disorders reporting common symptoms like cognitive decline, brain fog and Long COVID.

Teaching Responsibilities

Dr Waiter is Programme Co-ordinator for the MSc in Medical Imaging

Dr Waiter is the course co-ordinator for the Magnetic Resonance Imaging deeper study (BP5503) of the BioMedical Physics/Medical Imaging MSc, where he teaches fMRI theory and image analysis techniques as well as cardaic MR imaging. He also teaches Statistical Paramagnetic Mapping (SPM) on the Medical Image Processing and Analysis deeper study (BP5505).