UKDRI
Glia
Astrocytes on the blood vessel

People

Members of the UK DRI Glia thematic network

Researchers at a poster session

The UK DRI Glia theme meeting in York in 2024

The UK DRI Glia Thematic network is led by Dr Blanca Díaz-Castro (UK DRI at Edinburgh) and Professor Anna Williams (UK DRI at Edinburgh). The network is managed by Dr Helen Brooks (UK DRI Core Team) and has an Early Career Researcher (ECR) steering group to coordinate ECR activities.

The strengths and expertise of this theme include studying glia in the context of:

  • Stem cell derived models
  • Bioinformatic approaches
  • Molecular and cellular mechanisms
  • Neuronal-glial interactions
  • Synapse biology and circuitry
  • Neuro-glia-vascular unit and blood brain barrier
  • Biomarkers
Lorena Arancibia profile

Dr Lorena Arancibia Carcamo

Principal Staff Scientist

UK DRI at UCL

Investigating the cellular reaction to amyloid beta and tau protein in Alzheimer's disease

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Edward Avezov

Dr Edward Avezov

Group Leader

UK DRI at Cambridge

Investigating the roles of the endoplasmic reticulum in helping maintain neuronal health, and its role in disease

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Gabriel Balmus

Prof Gabriel Balmus

Group Leader

UK DRI at Cambridge

Identifying genetic and environmental factors involved in DNA damage, neurodegeneration and ageing in neurons

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Samuel Barnes

Dr Samuel Barnes

Group Leader

UK DRI at Imperial

Deciphering impaired synaptic homeostasis in ageing and Alzheimer's

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Kat Bowles Profile

Dr Kathryn Bowles

Group Leader

UK DRI at Edinburgh

Deciphering what happens within our cells when there is a mutation in the tau gene

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Marco Brancaccio

Dr Marco Brancaccio

Group Leader

UK DRI at Imperial

Understanding body clock mechanisms and their contribution to the early stages of Alzheimer's

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Marc Aurel Busche profile picture

Dr Marc Aurel Busche

Group Leader

UK DRI at UCL

Understanding and repairing pathological neural circuits in Alzheimer's disease

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Siddharthan Chandran

Prof Siddharthan Chandran

Director & CEO

UK DRI at Edinburgh & UCL

Dissecting a genetic cause of ALS and FTD and identifying ways to help protect neurons

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Natalie Connor-Robson

Dr Natalie Connor-Robson

Emerging Leader

UK DRI at Cardiff

Deciphering the genetics of late-onset Alzheimer's and the role of the endocytic pathway

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Dr Blanca Diaz Castro profile picture

Dr Blanca Díaz-Castro

Group Leader

UK DRI at Edinburgh

Understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms that link brain blood vessel dysfunction and dementia

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Valentina Escott-Price

Prof Valentina Escott-Price

Group Leader

UK DRI at Cardiff

Using Big Data, machine learning and AI to accelerate discoveries into dementia

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Jian Gan

Dr Jian Gan

Group Leader

UK DRI at Edinburgh

Understanding why and how neurons and brain circuits become dysfunctional in vivo

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