Profiles

Here, you can find any of the interviews on this site.



Gareth - Interview 11

Gareth has taken part as a healthy volunteer in two studies run by a diabetes research group, including a recent one which involved giving him adrenaline and taking fat biopsies. He declined to take part in one which involved being injected with insulin.

  • Background

    Gareth is an engineering manager. He is married with two teenage children. Ethnic background/nationality: White British.

  • Age at interview 49
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Vincent - Interview 10

    Vincent discovered he had Hepatitis C in 2005. Although he was an injecting drug user he never shared needles, so he believes he was infected by a blood transfusion. Treatment has not been successful. Recently he agreed to take part in a biobanking study.

  • Background

    Vincent is a semi-retired artist and antiques dealer. He is married with two children aged 8 and 12, and three grown-up children from a previous marriage. Ethnic background/nationality: White English.

  • Age at interview 66
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Jean - Interview 09

    Jean has Motor Neurone Disease (MND). She has given samples to a DNA bank for MND, and is now part of a study using blood and spinal fluid, alongside other tests, to improve the diagnosis and understanding of MND.

  • Background

    Jean is a retired consultant anaesthetist. She is married with two grown-up children. Ethnic background/nationality: White British.

  • Age at interview 56
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Andrew - Interview 08

    Andrew discovered he had hepatitis C virus in 2003, when he went to his GP after feeling unwell. He believes he got it from having a tattoo in Spain. He has recently agreed to take part in a biobanking study.

  • Background

    Andrew is a former van delivery driver (now unemployed). He is married with no children. Ethnic background’ White English.

  • Age at interview 54
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Chris - Interview 07

    Chris has been a healthy volunteer in several biobanking studies over a number of years. She started with the UK Biobank, but has since become a regular healthy participant in diabetes research. She likes to feel she is helping others.

  • Background

    Chris is a finance office manager. She is divorced and has no children. Ethnic background/nationality: White English.

  • Age at interview 57
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Karen - Interview 05

    Karen was diagnosed with melanoma in 1997. It came back in 2005 and she joined a clinical trial. Several times she has given extra blood samples for research purposes. She is happy to take part in any research into her condition.

  • Background

    Karen is a 52-year-old events manager. She has no children and is engaged to be married. Ethnic background’ White British.

  • Age at interview 52
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Elaine - Interview 04

    Elaine has taken part as a healthy volunteer in several diabetes and metabolism research studies, where she has given blood and tissue samples. Healthy volunteers help researchers understand how influences such as diet and weight interact with our genes.

  • Background

    works as a healthcare assistant. She is married with two sons aged 17 and 22. Ethnic background’ white British.

  • Age at interview 49
  • Sex/Gender Female