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Dr Hamish Crerar

PhD (He/Him)

Senior Researcher

Techniques

Advanced microscopy & imaging, CRISPR, Epigenomics, Mass spec-based proteomics, Next generation sequencing, Stem cells / iPSCs

Biography

I am a postdoctoral fellow working with the Ruepp Lab at the KCL DRI. I joined in 2025 after a 4 year postdoc with Professor Patani at the Francis Crick Institute. I completed my PhD at UCL in the MRC LMCB, where I studied molecular cell biology in Professor Riccio’s lab, investigating the role of mRNA localisation and non-coding RNA function in the development of the sympathetic nervous system. During this time, I became fascinated by how the spatial organisation of gene expression shapes neuronal identity and dysfunction, which has led me to where I am today.

Honours & awards

Motor Neurone Disease Association Non-clinical Senior Fellow (2026-2030)

Motor Neurone Disease Association Non-clinical Junior Fellow (2022-2026)

My Name5 Doddie Foundation Catalyst Award (2024-2025)

Research interest

In my postdoctoral work, I shifted focus to neurodegeneration, exploring how the mislocalisation of RNA-binding proteins such as FUS, SFPQ, and TDP-43 disrupts transcriptional regulation and RNA-dependent DNA interactions in motor neurons. More recently, I am exploring a mechanistic link between RBP dysfunction and aberrant tau isoform expression in ALS, combining CRISPR-engineered iPSC models, smFISH, CUT&RUN, RNA sequencing, and targeted ASO/siRNA approaches. My work has been supported by two MNDA Lady Edith Wolfson Fellowships and a My Name’5 Doddie Foundation Catalyst Award.

Key publications

Nucleic Acids Res
Published

Reactive astrocytes in ALS display diminished intron retention.

Authors
Oliver J Ziff, Doaa M Taha, Hamish Crerar, Benjamin E Clarke, Anob M Chakrabarti, Gavin Kelly, Jacob Neeves, Giulia E Tyzack, Nicholas M Luscombe, Rickie Patani
Reactive astrocytes in ALS display diminished intron retention.