Translational Neurodegeneration Group
The goal of our group is to discover and translate new drugs and biomarkers for patients with neurodegenerative diseases, specifically dementia. We conduct research across the translational spectrum, including cell culture, animal physiology, fluid and imaging biomarkers, and clinical trials, to better understand disease mechanisms and identify therapeutic targets.
Our areas of focus include cell death mechanisms, vascular control, and brain metabolism, with techniques including bioinformatics and statistics, in vitro and in vivo physiology, and cellular and molecular biology.
About our research
The our group specialises in bi-directional research translation. This involves both translation of laboratory research into new treatments and biomarkers, and reverse translation of clinical research uncovering associations for mechanistic discovery science. Our research program has led to new clinical trials and studies, and informed new directions for discovery research.
The approach to research is highly collaborative and interdisciplinary and is underpinned by external partnerships with major clinical studies throughout the world extend.
Our group’s work focuses on 3 key areas:
- Cell death mechanisms
- Vascular physiology/pharmacology
- Brain metabolism
Our clinical trials:
Research interests
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Ferroptosis
- Biomarkers
- Brain metabolism
- Vascular physiology
Techniques
- Cell culture
- Myograph
- In vivo hemodynamics
- Mouse behaviour
- ICP-MS
- Clinical biofluids (SIMOA)
- Bioinformatics and statistics
Research team
Research team head
Group Head
Team members
Research fellows
- Dr Abdel Belaidi
- Dr Darius Lane
- Dr Francesca Alves
- Dr Adam Southon
- Dr Pawel Kalinowski
- Dr Ashenafi Betrie
Research and technical staff
- Emilio Werden
- Celeste Mawal
- Scarlett Parker
- Linda Cornthwaite
PhD students
- Mohamed Jakaria
- Andrew Gleason
Master students
- Laeeq Hamid
- Eva Geerts
Publications
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Alves, F., Kallinowski, P. and Ayton, S. (2023). Accelerated Brain Volume Loss Caused by Anti–β-Amyloid Drugs: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Neurology, p.10.1212/WNL.0000000000207156. doi:https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000207156.
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Ayton, S., Shorena Janelidze, Kalinowski, P., Palmqvist, S., Belaidi, A.A., Stomrud, E., Roberts, A., Roberts, B., Hansson, O. and Ashley Ian Bush (2022). CSF ferritin in the clinicopathological progression of Alzheimer’s disease and associations with APOE and inflammation biomarkers. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, p.jnnp-330052. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2022-330052
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Belaidi, A.A., Shashank Masaldan, Southon, A., Kalinowski, P., Acevedo, K.M., Ambili Thoppuvalappil Appukuttan, Portbury, S.D., Lei, P., Agarwal, P., Leurgans, S., Schneider, J.A., Conrad, M., Bush, A.I. and Ayton, S. (2022). Apolipoprotein E potently inhibits ferroptosis by blocking ferritinophagy. Molecular Psychiatry. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-022-01568-w.
- Betrie, A.H., Brock, J.A., Harraz, O.F., Bush, A.I., He, G.-W., Nelson, M.T., Angus, J.A., Wright, C.E. and Ayton, S. (2021). Zinc drives vasorelaxation by acting in sensory nerves, endothelium and smooth muscle. Nature Communications, [online] 12(1), p.3296. doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23198-6
- Ayton, S., Portbury, S., Kalinowski, P., Agarwal, P., Diouf, I., Schneider, J.A., Morris, M.C. and Bush, A.I. (2021). Regional brain iron associated with deterioration in Alzheimer’s disease: A large cohort study and theoretical significance. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 17(7), pp.1244–1256. doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.12282.
Contact us
Associate Professor Scott Ayton
Group Head
[email protected]