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Mole Group

Sara Mole Lab

Mole Lab

The Mole lab is particularly interested in neurodegenerative diseases affecting children. We focus on lysosomal disorders, especially the neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) or Batten disease, which are inherited neurodegenerative diseases that start in childhood. We study their genetics, transcript complexity and biology, and are working to develop new and much-needed gene and small molecule therapies. One of the model organisms we use is the fission yeast Schizosaccharomces pombe which provides an excellent tractable cell model to study conserved disease genes. We curate the NCL mutation database.


Group Leader

Sara Mole, Professor of Molecular Cell Biology; UCL Envoy for Gender Equality.

Sara read Natural Sciences at Cambridge and undertook her PhD at Imperial College, followed by postdoctoral research funded by the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and Cancer Research UK. From an interest in inherited cancers, Sara developed a research portfolio around rare inherited metabolic diseases affecting children, particularly Batten disease. Sara was awarded the UCL Provost’s Prize for Excellence (Equality, Diversity, Inclusion), the UCL Provost’s Prize for Public Engagement (Senior Staff) and the Batten Disease Family Association Board of Trustees Award.

People

  • Jose Clemente Ramos (Research Associate)
  • Christopher Minnis (Research Associate)
  • Emily Gardner (Research Associate)
  • Haoyu Zhang (PhD Student)
  • Hasna Alashi (PhD Student)

Key Collaborators

UCL:

  • Paul Gissen (GOS ICH),
  • Wendy Heywood (ICH),
  • Helen Plun-Favrea,
  • Ahad Rahim (SOP),
  • Mina Ryten (GOS ICH),
  • Chris Stefan (LMCB).

External Collaborators:

  • Tris McKay (Manchester Metropolitan University, UK),
  • Thomas Wishart (Roslin Institute, UK),
  • Emyr Lloyd-Evans (Cardiff University, UK),
  • Andrew Quigley (Diamond Light Source, UK),
  • Angela Schulz (University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany),
  • Diego Medina (Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Italy),
  • Juan Bolanos (University of Salamanca, Spain),
  • Claire Russell (Royal Veterinary College, UK).

Funders

  • Medical Research Council,
  • EU H2020 BATCure,
  • Wellcome Trust,
  • Children's Brain Disease Foundation USA,
  • Biomarin,
  • Batten Disease Family Association.

Selected Publications


Alumni

  • Jaimie Greenham: Research Assistant/PhD student. Development and Technology Manager, Cellmark, UK. 1994-1997
  • Treasa Creavin: PhD student. Scientific Programme Development, Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences, Birkbeck, University of London, UK. 1994-1997
  • Wayne Mitchell: PhD student. Researcher at Imperial Innovations, UK. 1997-2000
  • Morwenna Porter: PhD student. Portfolio Eligibility Facilitator, NIHR Clinical Research Network, UK. 2000-2003
  • Yella Martin: PhD student. HCP Editor, Medical News Today. 2000-2006
  • Rebecca Haines: PhD student. NHS clinical scientist in Bioinformatics, Nottingham, UK. 2005-2008
  • Mariana Vieria: PhD student. Investigator, Universidade da Madeira, Madeira. 2010-2013
  • Davide Marotta: PhD student. Scientist, The Institute of Cancer Research, UK. 2011-2014
  • Sophie Kleine Holthaus: PhD student. Postdoc, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, UK. 2012-2015
  • Rachel Brown: PhD student. International Policy Officer, The Academy of Medical Sciences, UK. 2012-2015
  • Christopher Minnis: PhD student. Research Associate, UCL GOSH Institute of Child Health. 2016-2019
  • Yaxuan Lyu: PhD student. 2017-2021
  • Hannah Mitchison: Research Associate. Head of Department, UCL GOSH Institute of Child Health, Genetics and Genomics Department. 1992-1998
  • Patricia Munroe: Research Associate. Professor of Molecular Medicine, St Bartholomew’s and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK. 1993-1998
  • Kit-Yi Leung: Research Associate. Lecturer, St Bartholomew’s and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, UK. 1997-2001
  • Julie Sharp: Research Associate. Head of Health & Patient Information, CRUK, UK. 1994-2002
  • Ruth Wheeler: Research Associate. Clinical Laboratory Scientist, Viapath LLP, St Thomas’ Hospital, UK. 1993-2002
  • Sandra Codlin: Research Associate. Biosciences Teaching Laboratory Manager, Birkbeck, University of London, UK. 2002-2009
  • Claudia Kitzmuller: Research Associate. Medizinische Universitaet Wien (General Hospital Vienna), Austria. 2004-2008
  • Michael Bond: Research Associate. MRC Technology, UK. 2001-2014
  • Julia Petschnigg: Research Associate. 2016-2017
  • Sophia kleine Holthaus: Research Associate. 2015-2019
  • Mikel Aristorena: Research Associate. 2016-2021
  • Elisa Tinelli: Research Associate. 2015-2020