Aston University bioscientist Dr John Reynolds has received a £125,000 Springboard grant from the Academy of Medical Sciences for research into neurodegeneration caused by a rare genetic disease, according to an April 15 announcement.
The funding supports work on ataxia telangiectasia-like disorder (ATLD), an inherited neurodegenerative condition marked by symptoms such as uncoordinated movements and speech difficulties. The disorder is linked to mutations in MRE11, a protein involved in DNA repair. Understanding why these mutations primarily affect the central nervous system remains unclear.
Dr Reynolds’s project, titled 'Fixing breaks in the brain', will examine why neurons are especially vulnerable to failures in DNA repair and how defects in MRE11 lead to neuronal death. He said: "Despite more than 30 years of research into diseases caused by mutations in DNA repair pathways, we still do not fully understand why the brain is particularly sensitive to the loss of DNA repair, or why certain regions of the brain are more sensitive to unrepaired DNA damage than others. The drive to answer these longstanding and fundamental questions has been central to my research since my PhD and underpins the long-term vision of my research laboratory."
The project will involve collaboration with Dr Mariaelena Repici from Aston University and Professor Grant Stewart from the University of Birmingham. Professor Rhein Parri will also contribute expertise in neuronal model systems. The team plans to use advanced methods such as brain organoids—three-dimensional mini-brain tissues grown from human stem cells—to better mimic human brain structure during their studies.
The latest round of Springboard funding awarded £6.7 million across 55 early career researchers at institutions throughout the UK, supporting new investigations into conditions like Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, infectious diseases, and chronic pain.
Professor James Naismith, vice-president (non-clinical) at the Academy of Medical Sciences said: "The transition to research leadership is one of the most challenging stages in a research career, yet it is also when creativity is often at its strongest. Springboard invests in people at the moment when bold ideas begin to take shape, providing the freedom, confidence and backing researchers need to strike out on their own and ask big questions. The projects announced today show the impact this approach can have - demonstrating how early support can translate into meaningful benefits for patients, communities and the wider health system."
