In the last five years a number of extremely effective RNA and adeno-associated viral vectors therapies have dramatically improved the outcomes for individuals affected by a range of neurological disorders, mostly affecting children. The focus of this new Centre will be to harness the learning derived from these recent successes, from mechanistic insight discovery, to early and late translational research and eventually regulatory approval, and apply it to a wider group of neurodegenerative disorders. The activities of the Centre will be highly complementary with established activities and expertise in both institutes, including in the Zayed Centre, the Dementia Research Institute, the Sigrid Rausing Neurogenetics Therapies Programme and the two NIHR Biomedical Research Centres translational research programmes (UCLH and GOSH).
ION-DRI: A world-class centre of excellence in neuroscience
A new, state-of-the-art facility at 256 Grays Inn Road combined with our unparalleled existing facilities at Queen Square will transform our ability to tackle neurological diseases
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QS IoN seminars take place across many of our research groups, departments and teams. Our researchers and educators use diverse, creative and exciting activities and techniques to communicate their ideas to all audiences.
Latest News
We are extremely excited to announce our next 2025 Pan-UCL Symposium focusing on AAV gene therapy developments will take place on the 23rd May 2025 at the Kennedy Lecture Theatre, UCL. This symposium will showcase the rich experience available at UCL, spanning vector development, preclinical studies, clinical experience and feature two interactive workshops. This is a full day Internal meeting with keynote UCL speakers and networking opportunities.
Poster Abstract Submission: The Pan-UCL AAV Gene Therapy Symposium invites all UCL attendees to submit up to 200-word abstract for poster presentation on the day with eligibility for the UCL AAV Symposium poster prize. The deadline for abstract submission is midnight on the 6th April 2025, with the top-scoring abstracts selected for short oral poster presentation. You will be notified by email if your abstract has been accepted by mid-April. Please submit your abstract via email to: genetictherapyaccelerator@ucl.ac.uk *Please note presenters of abstracts selected for poster or oral presentation should review any confidential information/data with UCL Business if the work has not previously been declared or protected.
Huge congratulations to Dr Jo Ng promoted to Professorial Research Fellow, and Dr Haiyan Zhou promoted to Professor of Genetic Medicine, staff who have been awarded a 2024 promotion in this year's promotions round.
Our first Pan UCL AAV Symposium 2024 was certainly a full day packed with vibrant speakers and posters spanning the expertise available in our university. Huge congratulations to Ellie Chilcott @drelliechilcott for the best poster, and Juan Antinao Diaz @jantinaod for best oral presentation. Grateful to UCL QS Institute of Neurology and UCL Translational Research Office for their support, and thank you to everyone who was able to help put such an enjoyable event together! We hope to see you next year!
Professor Muntoni awarded the Richard Attenborough Award for Outstanding Achievement at the Muscular Dystrophy UK President’s Awards in association with Airnow Technology Ltd. The ceremony hosted by our President, Gabby Logan MBE, took place on Monday 19 February 2024, at the Salesforce Tower in the heart of the City of London, seeing the return of an in-person event since the pandemic. The awards recognise heroes within the muscle wasting and weakening community who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference. The six awards in total, recognised success in fundraising, caring, volunteering, community engagement and research, as well as an outstanding achievement award.
Link: Muscular Dystrophy UK President’s Awards
The new UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology (IoN) facility at 256 Grays Inn Road, IoN is developing a number of new initiatives to improve laboratory support. Our team took a hardhat tour around the lab areas in construction on site at our world-class translational #neuroscience centre #256GraysInnRoad https://bit.ly/onsitegraysinnroad