Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly

Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly is Group Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University. His research focuses on how synaptic changes drive the earliest stages of Parkinson’s disease, with the aim of uncovering therapeutic opportunities to prevent or delay disease progression.

Dayne studied Biochemistry with Industry at the University of Leeds before completing a PhD in Synaptic Neuroscience in 2010. He then undertook postdoctoral training at the University of Dundee, focusing on synaptic biology in Alzheimer’s disease, and later at the University of British Columbia , expanding into genetics and translational neuroscience of Parkinson’s. In 2015, he was awarded a Parkinson’s UK Career Development Fellowship at the University of Oxford, where he incorporated stem cell technologies into his work. In 2021, he received a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship and established his independent laboratory at the UK DRI in Cardiff.

Dayne has also contributed extensively to the scientific community through service and leadership roles. He has served as a World Parkinson Coalition Science Ambassador, Council Member of the British Neuroscience Association, member of the MRC Council Infrastructure and Capital Strategic Advisory Group, and currently sits on the MRC Black in Biomedical Research Advisory Group. In 2025, he was appointed Trustee and Director of the British Neuroscience Association.

Alongside his scientific research, Dayne is deeply committed to improving the lives of people living with Parkinson’s. His work is motivated by the belief that discoveries in the laboratory must ultimately translate into meaningful patient benefit. He is equally passionate about mentoring the next generation of neuroscientists, encouraging them to approach science with curiosity, rigour and creativity. Through both research and mentorship, he aims to foster a community that not only advances understanding of Parkinson’s disease but also drives forward new solutions with real-world impact.