Henry Houlden

My laboratory works on the genetics of neurodegeneration, peripheral nerve disease, ataxias, and paroxysmal movement disorders. I also have an interest in neurorehabilitation. The combination of genetic, functional cell biology and neuropathological methods is a particularly powerful approach for understanding neurological diseases and their pathological processes.

Given the rapid advances in genetic technology and knowledge, the analysis of RNA, protein expression and protein interactions in human tissue will become central to neurological research. It is likely that the next 10 years will see the development of treatments for human diseases based on these advances. Therefore, the collection of clinically characterised neuropathological material is pivotal to future research.

My research group are carrying out a programme of genetic and pathological investigations into human neurodegeneration. We have recently identified two ataxia genes and we are working on a number of disease genes in ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, parkinson’s disease and dementia. These genetic and neuropathological studies integrating functional in vitro research will translate this research into disease modifying treatment for human diseases.