Neurodevelopment Hub members
Researchers involved in this hub:
| Surname | Name | Position | School/Unit | Organisation | Neurodevelopment (ND) interests | ND expertise |
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Tom | Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer | Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences | University of Bristol | ||
| Amin | Sam | Hub co-Lead, Associate Professor / Consultant Paediatric Neurologist | School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience / Paediatric Neurology | University of Bristol / University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust | TSC, CASK, CDKL5 | clinical trials |
| Anastasiades | Paul | Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience | Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences | University of Bristol | Cortical circuit development | Expertise in mapping cortical development and determining cell-type-specific effects. Particular focus on the role of GABAergic interneurons in regulating cortical function and maturation. |
| Armstrong | James | Senior Research Fellow | Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences | University of Bristol | Brain organoids, neural tissue engineering | In vitro modelling using stem cells, organoids and engineered tissues |
| Ashby | Michael | Senior Lecturer | School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience | University of Bristol | Synapse and circuit maturation in normal and pathological mouse and human brain development | Expert in brain slice and in vivo synaptic, cellular and circuit function imaging and electrophysiology. Looking to link to clinical neuroscientists to collaborate on understanding neurobiology of neurodevelopmental disorders. |
| Atan | Denize | Associate Professor in Neuro-ophthalmology, Neuroscience and Genetics | Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences | University of Bristol | Shared genetics, environmental factors, and disease pathology that affect development of the eye and brain | Academic clinician specialising in neuro-ophthalmology (neurological diseases that affect eyes and vision). Research expertise in molecular and population genetics, neuropsychology, neuropathology, and neuroscience. |
| Aziz | Omer | Paediatric Intensive Care Consultant | Paediatric Critical Care | Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust | Neuromonitoring, neuroprognostication, EEG monitoring in the Critical Care Diagnosis of Death by Neurological Criteria (Brain Stem Testing) | Management on the Paediatric Critical Care which affects long term neurological outcome |
| Briscoe | Josie | Senior Lecturer | School of Psychological Science | University of Bristol | Developing cognitive control and communication skills, especially in autistic young people. Children and young people's experiences of health and education, including contextual and motivational influences on memory and learning. | Expertise in measurement of cognition, language, and learning, including measures of hand-held mouse-tracking. |
| Buhl | Edgar | Senior Research Fellow | School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience | University of Bristol | Animal models (Drosophila) of human neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases | Animal models of human disease invertebrate behaviour and neurophysiology |
| Carter | Michael Rust | Consultant Neurosurgeon, Bristol Royal Children's Hosiptal; Clinical Lead Bristol/SW CESS; Visiting Professor in Robotics at University of the West of England; Clinical Lecturer in Cell Biology, University of Bristol | University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust / University of Bristol | Cellular mechanisms of Epilepsy; modelling of epileptogenic neuronal networks; optical transmission in the CNS; neuronal cell culture and transplantation; mechanisms of human conciousness; public understanding of science/medicine; neurosurgical treatment of epilepsy in the developing world; translatinal research in canine epilepsy at Bristol Veterinary school | 20 years practise in paediatric and adult neurosurgery; Commitment to research in epilepsy surgery; Demonstrated expertise in deep brain recording techniques and EEG analysis; Interest in epilepsy research aimed at maximising development potential in childhood epilepsy sufferers | |
| Chakkarapani | Ela | Associate Professor in Neonatal Neuroscience | Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences | University of Bristol | Neurodevelopment following perinatal adverse exposures Brain structural and microstructural development following adverse perinatal exposures |
I have perinatal, neurodevelopment and imaging expertise in humans. I am looking for experimental expertise for understanding the brain development issues related to perinatal adverse exposures |
| Collinson | Ian | Professor of Biochemistry | School of Biochemistry | University of Bristol | ||
| Corey | Robin | Lecturer | School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience | University of Bristol | Computational modelling for fundamental neuroscience, including dynamics of complex molecular assemblies at the pre- and post-synapse, and the role of mitochondria dysfunction in neurodegernation. Special focus on interactions between proteins, proteins and lipids, and proteins and ligands. | Can offer molecular modelling, molecular simulation and related methods. Always looking for experimental data on molecular interactions within neurons, including between proteins, proteins and lipids, and proteins and ligands. |
| Dalmaijer | Edwin | Lecturer | School of Psychological Science | University of Bristol | My research focusses on the development of individuals and populations, which I study computationally and empirically. My main methods are eye tracking, electroencephalography (EEG), electrogastrography (EGG), pharmacological interventions, and agent-based modelling. | I can offer expertise on eye tracking, measurement of gastric physiology, computational modelling, and statistics. |
| Grieve | Adam | Research Fellow | School of Biochemistry | University of Bristol | ||
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Seán | Lecturer | School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology | University of Bristol | ||
| Gadhvi | Kunal | Consultant Paediatric Intensivist | Bristol Royal Hospital for Children | University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust | Paediatric Neurocritical Care; Nutrition in Neurocritical Care | Consultant working in Paediatric Neurocritical Care. Education role. Looking for research mentorship. |
| Giavasi | Christina | Neurology Consultant (Epilepsy) | North Bristol NHS Trust | Complex epilepsy, Epilepsy surgery and genetics | ||
| Hamilton-Shield | Julian | Professor in Diabetes and Metabolic Endocrinology | Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences | University of Bristol | Appetite and its regulation | |
| Hammond | Chrissy | Professor of Musculoskeletal Biology | School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience | University of Bristol | ||
| Hanley | Jon | Professor of Molecular Neuroscience | School of Biochemistry | University of Bristol | Molecular mechanisms of synaptic function; regulation of local gene expression by microRNAs | Primary neuronal cultures, protein-protein interactions, protein-RNA interactions.
Looking for: iPSC neuronal cultures |
| Heron | Jon | Associate Professor in Medical Statistics | Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences | University of Bristol | ||
| Hodge | James | Hub co-Lead, Professor | School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience | University of Bristol | We are interested in mechanisms and consequences of brain development and function to better understand, improve diagnosis of, and identify new therapeutic targets for neurodevelopmental, neurological, and psychiatric conditions.
Our interests include neuronal development, synaptic specificity in neural circuits, generation of neuronal excitability, neuronal circuits underlying behaviour, neuronal plasticity, and neurodegeneration. We are also interested in better understanding the lifelong consequences of neurodevelopmental, neurological, and neurocognitive conditions including genetic disorders, epilepsy, mitochondrial disorders, neurodegenerative, metabolic disorders, autism, ADHD, Down’s Syndrome, Alzheimer disease-Down syndrome, and intellectual disabilities to improve diagnosis, and treatment. We will also study acquired brain disorders and traumatic insults to the growing central nervous system. We aim to better understand, quantify, and model the dynamics of complex molecular assemblies, signalling processes, neuronal excitability, and functions of the nervous system and how they evolved. We are interested in the development of brains and behaviour, cognition, and affect, etc in children, as well as how these can be modelled in animals. To achieve this, we perform, and the PhD student will be trained in multi-disciplinary research developing new and diverse technologies including transgenic (including novel CRISPR) model organisms (Drosophila, mice, etc), in vitro models, computational modelling, sequencing human brain tissue and clinical research. |
I have experience in multi-disciplinary research developing new and diverse technologies including transgenic (including novel CRISPR) model organisms (Drosophila, mice, etc), in vitro models, computational modelling, sequencing human brain tissue and clinical research. |
| Holmboe | Karla | Associate Professor in Developmental Science | School of Psychological Science | University of Bristol | ||
| Jarrold | Chris | Professor of Cognitive Development | School of Psychological Science | University of Bristol | I am interested in the development of memory (particularly working memory), language, and cognitive control in both neurotypical and neurodiverse individuals | Expertise in cognition, and how to measure cognitive skills in children. |
| Jones | Matt | Professor of Neuroscience | School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience | University of Bristol | Sleep as a metric and mediator of brain development. We work with at-risk populations including children and young people living with genomic Copy Number Variants (deletions at 22q11.2 and 1q21.1, and duplications at 16p11.2). | Longitudinal measures of sleep and cognition |
| Janáčková | Soňa | Consultant Clinical Neurophysiologist | Neurophysiology | University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust | Ontogenesis of electrical brain activity, from preterm newborn and throughout childhood. Neurophysiology in paediatric epilepsy surgery. | EEG, including invasive, evoked potentials and peripheral nerve investigations in children |
| Kemp | Kevin | Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience | Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences | University of Bristol | Cerebellar ataxia and nerve cell repair | Developing next-generation stem cell and gene therapies |
| Lane | Jon | Professor of Cell Biology | School of Biochemistry | University of Bristol | ||
| Likeman | Marcus | Radiology & Honorary Senior Lecturer | School of Psychological Science | North Bristol NHS Trust / University of Bristol | ||
| Liu | Qiang | Lecturer in Data Science | School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology | University of Bristol | My research interests lie in the applications of AI and bioinformatics in medical, biological science and healthcare robotics, especially mental health and neuroscience, including: machine learning algorithms especially deep neural networks, personalised treatment and diagnosis, treatment response prediction, risk evaluation, drug discovery, cell profiling, prediction and inference modelling, brain imaging, genomic analysis, EHR analysis, smart/wearable sensors, MCDA in healthcare, biomedical signal processing, natural language processing. |
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| Cordero Llana | Óscar | Associate Professor in Stem Cell Biology | Bristol Medical School | University of Bristol | My research is focused on understanding pathophysiology of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental conditions using both human stem cell derived and animal models. We have helped to explain the some of the neurodevelopmental effects of C9ORF72 expansion ALS; uncovered a novel pathological hallmark in polyglutamine disorders, established a novel mechanism of neurotoxicity across the placenta, characterised the CSF composition in preterm babies with intraventricular haemorrhage, uncovered how microRNA dysregulation can lead to Parkinson’s or how glucocorticoid signalling controls the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus. We have developed protocols for the generation on human astrocytes and dopaminergic neurons from human iPSCs and championed the used of neural stem cells as disease modelling platform. We have also characterised novel factors that can promote neuronal maturation and survival and developed novel preclinical therapies for Parkinson’s and aggressive gliomas. | |
| Low | Karen | Honorary Consultant Clinical Geneticist and NIHR Clinical Research Fellow | Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences | University of Bristol | I am a paediatric geneticist with a specialist interest in neurodevelopmental rare genetic syndromes. I am Chief Investigator for the GenROC study which is a cohort study of children with rare genetic neurodevelopmental syndromes and am interested in enriching phenotypic data in rare syndromes to improve clinical care. I am also CI for the life beyond childhood KBG study - an international patient report study in adults with a rare genetic neurodevelopmental condition. | I have expertise in genetics/genomics and clinical phenotypes in rare disease as well as in coproduction and working with patient driven research. I am looking for collaboration with colleagues in basic science to further the research opportunities available in rare neurodevelopmental disorders. |
| Majumdar | Arni | Consultant in Paediatric Neurology | Department of Paediatric Neurology | University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust | Bristol Neuromuscular Research Group: In 2010, my colleagues in the adult neuromuscular service and I set up the Bristol Neuromuscular Research Group; a research initiative and collaborative group with the University of Bristol, NHS Trusts, commercial organisations and charitable organisations. The aim of this group will be to deliver cutting edge clinical research into paediatric and adult neuromuscular conditions. We aim to bring translational research (research from the bench to the bedside) to the South West of UK.
Paediatric NM focus Research: I lead the Paediatric arm of the Bristol Neuromuscular Research Group based at the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. Thanks to support from charities and University Hospitals Bristol we are able to deliver commercial Trails in NM disorders. We collaborate and contribute data to NIHR, North Star, SMA Reach, 100,000 Genome Project and Neuropathy databases. In 2021 a Bristol Neuro Fly research group was set up in collaboration with James Hodge and Edgar Buhl. This is a basic science research group which has bought together a group of scientists, mathematicians, neurologists and animal scientists to commence basic science work on neurodevelopmental disorders. This is at the start of the Translational research pipeline which we hope will ultimately result in better treatments for children with neurological conditions. |
Collaboration with Drosophila, Mouse and Zebrafish scientists to study novel gene function implicated in neurodevelopmental conditions. |
| Mallick | Andrew | Consultant Paediatric Neurologist & Honorary Lecturer | Bristol Medical School | University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust / University of Bristol | ||
| Miners | Scott | Senior Lecturer in Neuroscience | Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences | University of Bristol | Neurovascular research and blood-brain barrier | Work with human post-mortem tissue and developing in vitro models of the blood-brain barrier |
| Mellor | Jack | Professor in Neuroscience | School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience | University of Bristol | We are interested in understanding the neurobiological changes that occur in neurodevelopmental disorders. Specifically changes to synapses and network processing. | Expertise in animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders, cellular and synaptic physiology, Measurements using electrophysiology and imaging, human brain slice recording and genetic manipulation |
| Molnar | Elek | Professor of Neuroscience | School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience | University of Bristol |
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Molecular neuroscience, neurochemistry, neuropharmacology, immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, cell signalling, neuronal and glial development |
| Monaghan | Marie | Professional Mentor | Centre for Medical Education | University of Bristol | ||
| Montgomery | Stephen | Associate Professor in Evolutionary Neurobiology and Behaviour | School of Biological Sciences | University of Bristol | We are interested in the evolution of brain size and structure, how it relates to variation in behaviour, and how it is produced by changes in neurodevelopment. Our ongoing projects investigating the genetic and cellular basis of brain evolution, the control of neurogenesis, and the maturation of learning and memory circuits. | We have expertise in animal behaviour, molecular biology, genomics, immunohistochemistry, advanced microscopy and comparative biology. We are always interested in incorporating new ideas and techniques, at the moment, particularly in high throughput and computational analysis of neural traits. |
| Mosienko | Valentina | Research Fellow and Proleptic Lecturer in Neuroscience | School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience | University of Bristol | I am interested in how stress at early postnatal life shapes behavior in adulthood through changes in brain metabolism. | I can offer expertise in studying glia cells in vivo and in vitro and various methods to study effects of stress on behavior in rodent models. I am interested in applying other models, e.g. flies or computation models to study brain metabolism during early postnatal development and its effects on behavior later in life. |
| Pedapati | Radhakrishna | Clinical Fellow in Epilepsy | Neurology | North Bristol NHS Trust | Epileptic networks | |
| Poorun | Ravi | NIHR Clinical Lecturer in Paediatrics | Paediatrics | University of Exeter | Neonatal neurodevelopment, pain, sleep and neurodevelopment outcomes of ex-neonatal children. Fever and sleep disturbance as triggers for paediatric seizures. |
Paediatrics. Neonatal. Pain. EEG. Paediatric Epilepsy. |
| Rai | Dheeraj | Professor of Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry | Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences | University of Bristol | Epidemiology of neurodevelopmental conditions Randomised controlled trials |
Clinical experience of working with people with neurodevelopmental conditions (intellectual disability, autism, epilepsy) and mental health conditions. Epidemiology, trials. Working within international networks and experience of success with funding from variety of public and charity funders. |
| Reed | Zoe | Research Fellow | School of Psychological Science | University of Bristol | My research spans both epidemiology and intervention development. My epidemiological interests in this space are around autism and health, wellbeing and social outcomes. The intervention we are developing is separate to this and focuses on emotion recognition in autistic children. Overall, in my research I aim to apply a translational approach with epidemiological research informing intervention targeting/development. | My expertise lies primarily within epidemiological approaches, such as genetically-informed causal inference approaches. I also have expertise around intervention development and emotion recognition. |
| Reul | Hans | Professor of Neuroscience | Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences | University of Bristol | I'm interested in the molecular regulation of neuronal differentiation in embryonic and adult brain. | My Research Group has substantial experience in molecular (RNA, ChIP), epigenetic, neuroanatomical, neuroendocrine and behavioural methods. |
| Sieradzan | Kasia | Consultant Neurologist | North Bristol NHS Trust | |||
| Singleton | Will | Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon & Lecturer | Bristol Medical School | University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust / University of Bristol | ||
| Spaull | Robert | Honorary Research Associate & Paediatric Neurology Registrar | Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences | University of Bristol / University Hopsitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust | ||
| Stergiakouli | Evie | Associate Professor in Genetic Epidemiology and Public Mental Health | Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences | University of Bristol | ||
| Timpson | Nicholas | Professor of Genetic Epidemiology, Principal Investigator of ALSPAC, Director of UKRI Population Research UK | Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences | University of Bristol | Use of longitudinal population studies for neurodevelopmental research | |
| Underwood | Jack | Clinical Research Fellow | Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences | University of Bristol | As part of my PhD I have looked at why co-occurring mental and physical health conditions are more common in autistic adults, using a mixture of epidemiological and statistical genetic/genomic techniques. I have a further focus on genotype-phenotype variants in the CACNA1C gene, eliciting correlations in phenotype based on a case series and community registry data, and using this to examine underlying changes to channel function through iPSC neuronal models. As part of this I lead the Scientific Advisory Board for the Timothy Syndrome Alliance (TSA UK) charity. |
Forensic psychiatrist and clinician with expertise in phenotype-genotype assessment, combined with previous experience in statistical genetics including CNVs, common variation and associated generation, processing and analysis. Current focus on whole-cell patch-clamp and MEA of neuronal iPSCs to assess disease models. |
| Western | David | Senior Lecturer in Health Technology | School of Engineering | University of the West of England | Biomedical signal processing. Deep learning for clinical EEG classification. Wearables for mental health. | Can help with: Signal processing. Machine learning. Data science. Python/Matlab. |
| Whitcomb | Daniel | Senior Lecturer in Translational Neuroscience | Bristol Medical School | University of Bristol | Non-invasive neuromodulation through brain stimulation | Non-invasive neuromodulation through brain stimulation as a therapeutic intervention in neurodevelopmental disorders. |
| Wilson | Rebecca | Clinical Psychologist | Department of Paediatric Neuropsychology | Bristol Royal Hospital for Children | ||
| Wright | Ingram | Professor | School of Psychological Science | University of Bristol |
Public and Patient Involvement & Charities
| Surname | Name | Position | Organisation | website(s) | ND interests | ND expertise |
| Hattersley | Laura | CEO | Cask Research UK | https://caskresearch.org/ | Natural history of CASK gene disorders; research into the mechanisms of the CASK gene and therapeutic avenues to improve patient lives. | I can offer the perspective of life with a rare neurodevelopmental disease and I am also a patient group advocate for CASK disorders and rare epilepsies in general. |
| Muir | Sophie | Chair of Trustees | Timothy Syndrome Alliance (TSA) / Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel Collective | https://timothysyndrome.org/ & https://thevgccc.org/ | CACNA1C-related disorders including Timothy Syndrome and LongQT8; Voltage-gated calcium channels | I am a mum to a 16-year-old with a CACNA1C-related disorder. We were on our diagnostic odyssey for 10 years and a further 5 years as a Variant of Uncertain Significance. Now Likely Pathogenic. I registered Timothy Syndrome Alliance (TSA) as a UK charity in 2019 with a mission to improve diagnosis, treatment and support globally. Our CACNA1C community has grown from 43 known living individuals in 2019 to over 160 (2024). The Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel Collective (VGCCC) raises awareness and promotes collaboration across the voltage-gated calcium ion channelopathies. I'm looking for knowledge, research, answers, and potential therapeutics/treatments for our CACNA1C community and the communities of the VGCCC. |
| Partridge | Carol-Anne | Co-founder and Chairperson | CDKL5 UK | https://curecdkl5.org.uk/ | CDKL5 Deficiency disorder (CDD) Epilepsy Patient Advocacy Group Member for EpiCare ERN" |
PPI Impact on patients and caregivers from mental health perspective Social impact of disability |
Industry partners
| Surname | Name | Position | Organisation | ND interests | ND expertise |
| Mebs | Shafi | Orion |
Other collaborators