
Dr James Hodge
B.Sc.(Sheff.), Ph.D.(Cantab.)
Expertise
We are interested in how neural circuit activity underlies behaviour including circadian rhythms, sleep, memory and movement. We use Drosophila, electrophysiology, behaviour, pharmacology, imaging, modelling and molecular genetics
Current positions
Associate Professor in Neuroscience
School of Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience
Contact
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Biography
We study the fundamental biology of behaviour and how they are affected by ageing, drugs and diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Down’s, schizophrenia, epilepsy and neuropathies.
Research Questions
1) Circadian rhythms and clock neuron excitability. How does light and temperature entrain the clock? How is time of day information communicated through the clock? What is the role of neuronal activity in circadian rhythms? What are the components of the membrane clock and how do they interact with the molecular clock? These are being testing in fly, mouse and computational models of clock neuron excitability.
2) Sleep and electrical activity in the brain. How is sleep regulated by circuits in the brain? What is the role of synaptic transmission and homeostasis in sleep? Which ion channels and receptors mediate sleep neuron electrophysiology and regulate sleep? Can sleep be artificially enhanced or suppressed?
3) How is neuronal excitability, circadian rhythms, sleep, memory and movement affected by mental health, ageing, drugs and diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Down’s and schizophrenia. Can novel mechanisms be identified and lead to new drugs? We test new dementia drugs in our preclinical models. Can enhanced sleep delay Alzheimer pathology and improved rhythms and sleep promote mental health.
4) The role of ion channel, tuberous sclerosis complex and novel genes in epilepsy. Developing new animal and computational models of epilepsy, identifying new mechanisms and testing new anti-epileptics in fly, in silico and human epileptic brain tissue. Matching patient genotype to best treatment, patient genotyping to develop novel treatments. Helping develop better predictors of seizures to facilitate novel anti-seizure devices.
5) What effects do insecticides have on insect neuronal excitability, circadian rhythms, sleep, memory and movement.
Research Questions
1) Circadian rhythms and clock neuron excitability. How does light and temperature entrain the clock? How is time of day information communicated through the clock? What is the role of neuronal activity in circadian rhythms? What are the components of the membrane clock and how do they interact with the molecular clock? These are being testing in fly, mouse and computational models of clock neuron excitability.
2) Sleep and electrical activity in the brain. How is sleep regulated by circuits in the brain? What is the role of synaptic transmission and homeostasis in sleep? Which ion channels and receptors mediate sleep neuron electrophysiology and regulate sleep? Can sleep be artificially enhanced or suppressed?
3) How is neuronal excitability, circadian rhythms, sleep, memory and movement affected by mental health, ageing, drugs and diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Down’s and schizophrenia. Can novel mechanisms be identified and lead to new drugs? We test new dementia drugs in our preclinical models. Can enhanced sleep delay Alzheimer pathology and improved rhythms and sleep promote mental health.
4) The role of ion channel, tuberous sclerosis complex and novel genes in epilepsy. Developing new animal and computational models of epilepsy, identifying new mechanisms and testing new anti-epileptics in fly, in silico and human epileptic brain tissue. Matching patient genotype to best treatment, patient genotyping to develop novel treatments. Helping develop better predictors of seizures to facilitate novel anti-seizure devices.
5) What effects do insecticides have on insect neuronal excitability, circadian rhythms, sleep, memory and movement.
Research interests
MRes project
In vivo characterisation of novel risk genes for Alzheimer’s disease identified by Genome Wide Association Studies
Dr James Hodge
Neuroscience
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Building a membrane circadian clock across evolution
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Physiology, Pharmacology & NeuroscienceDates
01/06/2022 to 31/05/2025
How does light control the activity and electrical properties of neurons integrating arousal behaviour, circadian rhythms, and sleep?
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Physiology, Pharmacology & NeuroscienceDates
01/01/2013 to 01/04/2016
THE ROLE OF PDZ SCAFFOLD CASK AND CAMKII SIGNALLING IN SYNAPIC PLASTICITY AND LEARNING
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School of Physiology, Pharmacology & NeuroscienceDates
01/06/2009 to 01/06/2012
Thesis supervisions
A systems biology approach using electrophysiology and modelling to determine the membrane clock
Supervisors
Ageing and the Drosophila circadian clock
Supervisors
The effect of neonicotinoid pesticides on the circadian clock and sleep of fruit flies and bumblebees
Supervisors
Investigating pathways of cell competition in Drosophila melanogaster
Supervisors
Using <i>Drosophila</i> to model schizophrenia symptoms
Supervisors
Parkinson’s disease risk genes and their effect on behaviour in Drosophila melanogaster
Supervisors
Reducing the expression of Lap or Zydeco in Drosophila causes phenotypes similar to Alzheimer’s disease
Supervisors
Publications
Recent publications
04/01/2023Increased interaction between endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria following sleep deprivation
BMC Biology
DYRK1a inhibitor mediated rescue of Drosophila models of Alzheimer’s disease-Down Syndrome phenotypes
Frontiers in Pharmacology
Effects of Eph/ephrin signalling and human Alzheimer’s Disease-associated EphA1 on Drosophila behaviour and neurophysiology
Neurobiology of Disease
Hereditary spastic paraparesis presenting as cerebral palsy due to ADD3 variant with mechanistic insight provided by a Drosophila γ-adducin model
Clinical Genetics
The opposing Chloride Cotransporters KCC and NKCC control locomotor activity in constant light and during long days
Current Biology
Teaching
Teaching
Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience Postgraduate Research Director.
Pharmacology programme – 1st year, 2nd year, 3rd year and MSci lectures, practicals, tutorials and personal tutor.
Medical programme – tutorials.
Veterinary programme – lectures.
Dental programme – lectures.
MSc in Biomedical Sciences, Health Sciences and Molecular Neurosciences lectures and research projects.
Genetics Society Ambassador and Special Interest Group leader
School Research Committee member
Postgraduate Teaching Committee member
2023-(28), Jazz Pharmaceuticals / GW Pharma Industrial Funding, “The UK Natural history of epilepsy and standards of care in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex”, £304,751, Principle Investigator (PI)
2023-(26), MRC, “Mental Health and Circadian Science Network”, £780,757, co-PI.
2021-(25), BBSRC, “Building a membrane circadian clock across evolution”, £580,656, PI,
2020-(24), WT, “Investigating Alzheimer’s Disease risk genes in Drosophila melanogaster”, £105,286, co-PI
2020-(23), ARUK, “Functional screening of novel genes associated with Alzheimer’s disease to investigate new mechanisms, therapeutic targets and drugs”, £250,000, PI
2022-(23), ARUK, “Enhancing sleep to delay the progression of tauopathy”, £49,995, co-PI
2022-(23) GW4 “Epilepsy community for parallel human and fly genetics, electrophysiology, modelling and drug screens” £20,000, PI
2017-(23), Industry, Genetics and Biochemistry Society “UK and Bristol Clock Club”, £7000
2016-(23), Genetics Society, “South West Fly Meeting”, £7000, PI
Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience Postgraduate Research Director.
Pharmacology programme – 1st year, 2nd year, 3rd year and MSci lectures, practicals, tutorials and personal tutor.
Medical programme – tutorials.
Veterinary programme – lectures.
Dental programme – lectures.
MSc in Biomedical Sciences, Health Sciences and Molecular Neurosciences lectures and research projects.
Genetics Society Ambassador and Special Interest Group leader
School Research Committee member
Postgraduate Teaching Committee member
2023-(28), Jazz Pharmaceuticals / GW Pharma Industrial Funding, “The UK Natural history of epilepsy and standards of care in Tuberous Sclerosis Complex”, £304,751, Principle Investigator (PI)
2023-(26), MRC, “Mental Health and Circadian Science Network”, £780,757, co-PI.
2021-(25), BBSRC, “Building a membrane circadian clock across evolution”, £580,656, PI,
2020-(24), WT, “Investigating Alzheimer’s Disease risk genes in Drosophila melanogaster”, £105,286, co-PI
2020-(23), ARUK, “Functional screening of novel genes associated with Alzheimer’s disease to investigate new mechanisms, therapeutic targets and drugs”, £250,000, PI
2022-(23), ARUK, “Enhancing sleep to delay the progression of tauopathy”, £49,995, co-PI
2022-(23) GW4 “Epilepsy community for parallel human and fly genetics, electrophysiology, modelling and drug screens” £20,000, PI
2017-(23), Industry, Genetics and Biochemistry Society “UK and Bristol Clock Club”, £7000
2016-(23), Genetics Society, “South West Fly Meeting”, £7000, PI