UKDRI
Synapse
A meeting of early career researchers for the synapse theme

People

Members of the UK DRI Synapse theme

The UK DRI Synapse theme was established in May 2020 and is led by Prof Seth Grant (Associate Member at UK DRI Edinburgh) and Dr Samuel Barnes (UK DRI at Imperial).

Strengths and expertise across this theme include:

  • Molecular features of synaptic health (Grant), 
  • Physiology (Barnes, Busche, Gan, Opazo, Beccano-Kelly, Durrant), 
  • Neuronal-glial interactions (Hong, Spires-Jones, Morgan, Connor-Robson), 
  • Bioinformatics (Webber, Skene), 
  • Brain-states (Busche, Dijk, Grossman, Wisden, Jaramillo), 
  • Learning and memory (Krupic, Wiseman)
  • Molecular mechanisms (Avezov, Klennerman) 
  • Human synaptic measures (Durrant, Grant, Jackson, Matthews, Spires-Jones, Zetterberg)
  • Transynaptic spread (Spires-Jones, Duff, Schiavo, Klenerman)
Audience at the synapse symposium 2019

A synapse meeting in London in 2019

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

Learn more Dr Edward Avezov
Samuel Barnes

Dr Samuel Barnes

Group Leader

UK DRI at Imperial

Deciphering impaired synaptic homeostasis in ageing and Alzheimer's

Learn more Dr Samuel Barnes
Dayne Beccano-Kelly

Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly

Group Leader

UK DRI at Cardiff

Investigating synaptic health and function over time in Parkinson's

Learn more Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly
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

Learn more Dr Kathryn Bowles
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

Learn more Dr Marco Brancaccio
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

Learn more Dr Marc Aurel Busche
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

Learn more Dr Natalie Connor-Robson
Bart De Strooper

Prof Bart De Strooper

Group Leader

UK DRI at UCL

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

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Derk-Jan Dijk

Prof Derk-Jan Dijk

Group Leader

UK DRI Care Research & Technology at Surrey

Developing and evaluating new technologies that can measure a person’s sleep and wake patterns at home

Learn more Prof Derk-Jan Dijk
Karen Duff

Prof Karen Duff

Centre Director

UK DRI at UCL

Revealing the molecular causes and consequences of tauopathy in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia

Learn more Prof Karen Duff
Claire Durrant

Dr Claire Durrant

Emerging Leader

UK DRI at Edinburgh

Using organotypic cultures and human tissue to explore mechanisms of synapse loss in Alzheimer’s disease

Learn more Dr Claire Durrant
Jian Gan

Dr Jian Gan

Group Leader

UK DRI at Edinburgh

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

Learn more Dr Jian Gan