Dr James Cox

Mammalian Sensory Genetics

Tel: 020 7679 6704
Email: j.j.cox@ucl.ac.uk
IRIS Profile: https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=JCOXX25

James Cox is a Senior Lecturer working within Prof John Wood's Molecular Nociception Group at University College London.

Dr Cox graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2001 having studied Medical Science, specialising in cell and molecular biology. Inspired by Dr Tessa Webb to study the genetics of learning disability, Dr Cox joined Prof Lucy Raymond's team at the Dept of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge and in 2004 completed his Ph.D. in human molecular genetics.

In 2005, he was a founder member of Prof Geoff Woods' University of Cambridge research team, investigating the genetic basis of several human neuronal disorders, including Primary Microcephaly, MORM Syndrome and Channelopathy-associated Insensitivity to Pain.

In order to focus on the genetics of pain, Dr Cox collaborated and then joined Prof John Wood's team at University College London where he identified the gene responsible for Familial Episodic Pain Syndrome. In 2011 Dr Cox, with MRC support, started his own research team and in 2016 became a Senior Lecturer at UCL. For further information about current research areas please see the Molecular Nociception webpage http://www.ucl.ac.uk/molecular-nociception-group/.

Academic Career

Academic Career

2016-date Senior Lecturer, WIBR, UCL
2011 - 2016 MRC Research Career Development Fellow, WIBR, UCL
2010 - 2011 Post-doc, WIBR, UCL
2009 - 2010 Post-doc, University of Cambridge
2008 Post-doc, UCL
2005 - 2007 Post-doc, University of Cambridge
2001 - 2004 Ph.D., University of Cambridge
1998 - 2001 B. Med. Sc. First Class Honours (Cell and Molecular Biology); University of Birmingham

Publications

Cox JJ, Reimann F, Nicholas AK, Thornton G, Roberts E, et al. (2006) An SCN9A channelopathy causes congenital inability to experience pain. Nature 444: 894-898.

Jacoby M, Cox JJ, Gayral S, Hampshire DJ, Ayub M, et al. (2009) INPP5E mutations cause primary cilium signaling defects, ciliary instability and ciliopathies in human and mouse. Nat Genet 41: 1027-1031.

Kremeyer B, Lopera F, Cox JJ, Momin A, Rugiero F, et al. (2010) A gain-of-function mutation in TRPA1 causes familial episodic pain syndrome. Neuron 66: 671-680.

Reimann F, Cox JJ, Belfer I, Diatchenko L, Zaykin DV, et al. (2010) Pain perception is altered by a nucleotide polymorphism in SCN9A. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 107: 5148-5153.

Cox JJ, Willatt L, Homfray T, Woods CG (2011) A SOX9 duplication and familial 46,XX developmental testicular disorder. N Engl J Med 364: 91-93.

Emery EC, Habib AM, Cox JJ, Nicholas AK, Gribble FM, et al. (2015) Novel SCN9A mutations underlying extreme pain phenotypes - unexpected electrophysiological and clinical phenotype correlations. J Neurosci. 35(20): 7674-81.

Further publication information can be viewed at https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=JCOXX25

Group Members

Research Associate / Fellow

Dr Abdella Habib

Research Technician/PhD student

Ayako Matsuyama

PhD student

Shengnan Li