Our research focuses on a group of fatal neurodegenerative brain diseases called prion diseases. A prion disease, which can also be called a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE), happens when a normal protein in the body becomes misfolded creating a prion protein. This causes progressive loss of brain tissue and body function. Prion diseases can affect […]
We conduct ‘basic’ research to better understand how different genes function in the human body in health and disease. For example, we research which genes control the formation of our limbs and how mutations in these genes can cause limb abnormalities. We are particularly interested in understanding the biological processes that control early development of […]
We are researching lung disease. Lung disease affects how well we breathe and can have different causes such as genetics or the environment. Our research is translational, meaning we take the results of ‘basic’ research which is carried out to better understand the roles of different cells and genes in the body, and use this […]
Our research will help us to better understand how radiotherapy causes damage to the body and this may allow us to develop new treatments to heal radiation injury. In humans with cancer, radiotherapy is used to kill cancerous cells. This treatment uses ionizing radiation which is aimed directly at the cancer however, it can also […]