UKDRI
Motor neuron disease / ALS
MND SMART gathering group photo

People

Members of the UK DRI MND thematic network

Researcher presents slides at a meeting

Prof Suvankar Pal presents at the 2024 MND-SMART gathering. Credit: Maverick Photo Agency

The UK DRI Motor Neuron Disease Thematic network is led by Dr Marc-David Ruepp (UK DRI at King’s), Dr Sarah Mizielinska (UK DRI at King’s), and Prof Suvankar Pal (Co-investigator, UK DRI at Edinburgh). The network is managed by Dr Ruby Wallis (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:

  • Genetics (Shaw, Peters)
  • Epigenetics (Marzi)
  • Genome stability (Balmus)
  • RNA biology (Ruepp, Ule)
  • Nucleocytoplasmic transport (Mizielinska)
  • Proteostasis (Isaacs)
  • Axonal transport (Schiavo, Serio)
  • Synaptic function and excitotoxicity (Selvaraj, Clayton)
  • Glial pathology (Selvaraj, Chandran, Serio)
  • Human-based biomarker discovery (Isaacs, Selvaraj, Pal)
  • Pre-clinical gene therapy/small molecule development (Isaacs, McEwan, Ruepp, Shaw & others)
  • Clinical trials (Chandran, Pal)
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

Learn more Prof Gabriel Balmus
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

Learn more Prof Siddharthan Chandran
Emma Clayton

Dr Emma Clayton

Emerging Leader

UK DRI at King's

Investigating presynaptic proteostasis using novel tools in novel models

Learn more Dr Emma Clayton
Adrian Isaacs

Prof Adrian Isaacs

Group Leader

UK DRI at UCL

Deciphering the fundamental molecular causes of frontotemporal dementia and ALS

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Sarah Marzi profile

Dr Sarah Marzi

Group Leader

UK DRI at King's

Investigating how epigenetics regulates biological mechanisms in health and disease

Learn more Dr Sarah Marzi
Will McEwan

Prof Will McEwan

Group Leader

UK DRI at Cambridge

Deciphering the mechanisms of tau accumulation and exploring new methods for treatment of tauopathies

Learn more Prof Will McEwan
Sarah Mizielinska profile

Dr Sarah Mizielinska

Group Leader

UK DRI at King's

Understanding the precise mechanisms of nucleocytoplasmic dysfunction in FTD and ALS

Learn more Dr Sarah Mizielinska
Suvankar Pal profile

Prof Suvankar Pal

UK DRI Co-investigator

University of Edinburgh

Professor of Neurodegenerative Disorders and Clinical Trials and Honorary Consultant Neurologist, University of Edinburgh

Learn more Prof Suvankar Pal
Owen Peters

Dr Owen Peters

UK DRI Co-investigator

Cardiff University

Lecturer in Dementia Research, Cardiff University

Learn more Dr Owen Peters
Image of Marc-David Ruepp

Dr Marc-David Ruepp

Group Leader

UK DRI at King's

Exploring RNA metabolism in health and neurodegeneration

Learn more Dr Marc-David Ruepp
Giampietro Schiavo

Prof Giampietro Schiavo

Group Leader

UK DRI at UCL

Restoring axonal transport deficits as a therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative diseases

Learn more Prof Giampietro Schiavo
Bhuvaneish Selvaraj

Dr Bhuvaneish Selvaraj

Emerging Leader

UK DRI at Edinburgh

Using disruptive technologies to decipher the underlying mechanisms that lead to neuron degeneration in ALS

Learn more Dr Bhuvaneish Selvaraj