Biography
Edward (Ed) Birt is a PhD researcher at the UK Dementia Research Institute, Cardiff University. He grew up in Gloucester and studied Biochemistry at Newcastle University before completing an MSc in Human and Molecular Genetics at the University of Sheffield. Before his PhD he worked as a Genetic Technologist in the Bristol Genetics Laboratory (North Bristol NHS Trust), gaining experience in clinical genomics within regulated, accredited healthcare settings.
His research combines computational modelling with genome-engineered human stem-cell models to study the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease, an interest driven in part by his own experience of a neurological condition. He also built a copy-number analysis pipeline now used by the Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics for routine quality control across Cardiff labs. Alongside his research, Ed is active in community engagement through table tennis, as President and now Vice-President of Cardiff University Table Tennis Club, and supports sessions for people living with Parkinson's disease.
Honours & awards
Public and Patient Involvement Award, UK DRI 2025
Athletic Union Club Honours in Table Tennis, Cardiff University (2025/26)
Research interest
Edward investigates how genetic variation in membrane proteins contributes to neurodegenerative disease. His work centres on ATP8B4, a P4-ATPase lipid flippase, and how changes in membrane lipid organisation affect the function of brain immune cells (microglia). He pairs molecular dynamics simulation with CRISPR-engineered human iPSC-microglia, using in-silico predictions to design experiments and experimental data to test them, linking molecular changes directly to cellular behaviour.