Clinical Research; Research Networks; Laboratory Based Research


Click on each link below to find out more:

Behavioural research (led by Prof Steve Dunnett)
Clinical neuroscience (led by Prof Anne Rosser)
Genetics research group/stemcell theraphy (led by Dr Nick Allen)
Molecular research (led by Dr Lesley Jones)

Molecular research (led by Dr Lesley Jones )

The Huntington's disease research group run by Dr Lesley Jones, is part of the MRC Neuropsychiatric Genetics Co-operative group, and is investigating the molecular aspects of the disease.  The precise role of the mutation in the HD gene remains to be determined.

Gene expression changes
Examination of the precise molecular changes that occur within the disease may give clues to the initial steps in the cascade of events that go wrong in cells in people with HD. Evaluation of the various models of the disease, together with close analysis of the interactions that the mutated gene is involved in, permits a better understanding of exactly how the genetic mutation causes a cascade of damaging events. This group is particularly interested in the changes in the expression of genes in the brain caused by the mutated HD gene and has conducted studies on human HD brain and animal models to try and clarify how changes in gene expression are related to the progress of the disease.  These studies should also help to inform researchers about which models most accurately recapitulate human HD, and should be used in trials of possible therapeutic compounds.

Genetic modifiers
A further area of interest is the influence of genetic modifiers on the clinical presentation of the disease.  People with Huntington’s disease can have variable symptoms and the nature of these symptoms may be related to changes in other genes in their genome.  Finding such changes will highlight biological pathways likely to be important in particular aspects of the disease.