Our Research

We are on the cusp of a new era of potential disease-modifying therapies for neurodegeneration and other neurological disease (primarily Huntington’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease), with many of the most promising requiring direct delivery into the central nervous system.

This presents a number of challenges and addressing these challenges forms the focus of the BRAIN unit’s research and includes;

Intracranial Delivery

Human Tissue Laboratory

Biobanking

Neuroscience Research Unit

 

The 4 main conditions:

Huntington’s disease

Huntington’s disease is a rare, inherited disease that causes the progressive breakdown (degeneration) of nerve cells in the brain. Huntington’s disease has a broad impact on a person’s functional abilities and usually results in movement, thinking (cognitive) and psychiatric disorders.

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a central nervous system (neurological) disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness.

Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition that can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a wide range of potential symptoms, including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance.

Parkinsons

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects movement. Symptoms start gradually, sometimes starting with a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand. Tremors are common, but the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement.