Riaz Moola, Julie Qiaojin Lin and Pradipta Biswas address the challenges of an ageing world and how assistive technology, lifelong learning and research can lead to longer, more productive lives.
When we talk about assistive technology or something for elderly people, it’s also like we are talking about ourselves because all of us across our lives live within a range of abilities instead of disabilities.
Pradipta Biswas
Three Gates Cambridge Scholars debate the question “How do we address the challenges of an ageing world?” in the final episode of the second series of our podcast, So, now what?
The episode, presented by Catherine Galloway, discusses the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population, highlighting the importance of quality of life, assistive technology and lifelong learning.
The guests are Pradipta Biswas, Julie Qiaojin Lin and Riaz Moola, who share insights on digital accessibility, dementia research and educational technology. They emphasise the role of AI and technology in supporting the elderly and the need for a holistic approach to ageing, combining medical, social and emotional support. Julie says: “I hope that everyone realises that coping with ageing and also combating dementia requires a holistic view from medical support to social supports, including family supports.”
Pradipta emphasised that what might be useful for older people or people with disabilities will also be helpful for all of us. He said: “When we talk about assistive technology or something for elderly people, it’s also like we are talking about ourselves because all of us across our lives live within a range of abilities instead of disabilities.”
For Riaz, lifelong learning is about equity. “Upscaling the world is about making the world fairer, more equal, and also more productive,” he states.
His research has included eye gaze tracking as a direct controller of electronic displays and interfaces inside cars and other vehicles for those with visual impairment.
Dr Julie Qiaojin Lin is an assistant professor in the Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering (BSBE) Thrust, Systems Hub, and in the Brain and Intelligence Research Institute, HKUST (GuangZhou). After completing her PhD, she joined the UK Dementia Research Institute (DRI) at the University of Cambridge in 2018 as a Sir Henry Wellcome Postdoctoral Fellow and later became a UK DRI Emerging Leader and a Research Fellow at Clare Hall, Cambridge.
Her research investigates the molecular mechanisms governing neuronal RNA metabolism, including RNA splicing, localisation and mRNA translation, with an emphasis on how these interconnected processes sustain axonal and synaptic function and promote neuronal survival. A central aim of her work is to decipher how environmental stressors, such as transient or prolonged changes in temperature and oxygen levels, disrupt transcriptomic and proteomic homeostasis in brain cells, while exploring potential cell-type specificity in RNA regulatory machinery. Using human iPSC-derived neurons and astrocytes as a model, her team seeks to uncover molecular insights that could pave the way for neuron-targeted therapies addressing neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, including epilepsy and Frontotemporal dementia.
Riaz Moola Riaz Moola is the founder and CEO of HyperionDev, an online education company tackling the global skills gap through accessible, career-focused training in high-demand fields. A dual citizen of the UK and South Africa, Riaz has led HyperionDev’s expansion into key global markets including the US, UK, South Africa, France and Australia. Under his leadership, the company has become a leading platform for practical online education, helping thousands of learners – including over 50s who may be looking to switch careers or return to work after a break – transition into high-growth careers through industry-aligned short courses and bootcamps. Riaz, who did an MPhil in Advanced Computer Science at Cambridge, was recognised in Forbes Africa’s Top 30 under 30 in Tech.
Listen to the episode here.
*More on Pradipta’s research can be found here – https://cambum.net/PB/research.php