Dr Tina Soulis is the CEO of Neuroscience Trials Australia and is the lead strategist of operations for academic and commercial partners at Neuroscience Trials Australia.

1. What sparked your interest in neuroscience?

I have always loved science and understanding how the brain works.  The brain is the last great frontier and there is still so much mystery about how it works and why the life ending diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and motor neurone disease develop.   I also love how the Medtech world has developed such that we are now seeing the collision of a drug with device and or a technology to treat neurological diseases.

2. Why do we need to crack the brains code?

See above.

3. If you weren’t the CEO of Neuroscience Trials Australia what would you be instead?

I think that I would love to be a professional cook or florist because both of those are social and creative roles.  Having said that, I think that my role involves a lot of creativity as we have to find solutions to highly technical and complicated problems on a daily basis.

4. What’s your favourite fact about the brain?

I love the term “neuroplasticity”.  I think it is positive term whereby we can envisage that the brain is a resilient organ that can adapt to situations, whether it is trauma, a mental health event or holding a life time of memories.  Unlocking its full potential is what our jobs are all about.  The future is exciting in brain research.