Current Projects - Dr Rajvinder Karda

DRAVET SYNDROME

Dr Karda is leading gene therapy research for the development of novel gene therapies for Dravet syndrome, an incurable inherited childhood epilepsy. She recently obtained an LifeArc Philanthropic fund, in collaboration with Prof Simon Waddington, Prof Stephanie Schorge (UCL School of Pharmacy), Dr Gabriele Lignani (UCL Institute of Neurology) and Prof Helen Cross (UCL ICH Neurosciences Unit) to perform pre-clinical gene therapy studies for Dravet Syndrome. Dr Juan Antinao Diaz, Research Fellow is currently working on this project.

Dr Karda also has a GOSH Charity and Sparks National Funding to develop pre-clinical gene editing treatments for Dravet syndrome. In collaboration with Prof Schorge, Prof Waddington, Dr John Counsell (UCL GOS Institute of Child Health) & Dr Marc Moore (Royal Holloway Department of Biological Sciences). Dr Ellie Crompton, Research Fellow is currently working on this project.

NEURONAL ELONGATION FACTOR

In close collaboration with Dr Jo Ng (UCL Institute for Women’s Health), Prof Schorge & Prof Waddington, Dr Karda is also leading gene therapy research to develop new gene therapy strategies for a series of devastating childhood neurological diseases linked to mutations proteins associate with ribosomes.

METABOLIC DISEASES

In collaboration with Dr Counsel we are developing pre-clinical gene therapy treatments for rare metabolic disorders.

MITOCHONDRIAL DISEASES

In close collaboration with Prof Shamima Rahman (UCL GOS Institute of Child Health) & Prof Waddington we are working on projects to develop new gene therapy treatments for mitochondrial disorders. Dr Nandaki Keshavan Clinical Research Fellow is currently completing his PhD for gene therapy in a specific mitochondrial depletion syndrome.

NEUROMUSCULAR DISORDERS

In collaboration with Prof Pietro Fratta (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) & Dr Counsell we are developing gene therapy treatments for neuromuscular disorders.