My research focuses on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or motor neuron disease. My research team works on finding the causes of ALS, and what might influence the way the disease manifests and progresses, particularly where this involves genes, environmental exposures, or changes in thinking and coping. I lead the Motor Neuron Disease reseach theme at the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre.

I have also held fellowships and exchange positions abroad at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. I set up the MSc in Clinical Neuroscience at King's College London, which is our clinical research trainee programme.

I have authored more than 250 peer-reviewed papers and hold extensive external grant funding, including three current and six recently completed programme grants, as well as funding from Medical Research Council, Horizon 2020, and National Institute for Health and Care Research.

Please see my Research Staff Profile for more detail

Key publications

• Van Rheenen et al., 2016. Genome-wide association analyses identify new risk variants and the genetic architecture of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Letter
• Al-Chalabi et al., 2014. Analysis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as a multistep process: a population-based modelling study Volume 13, Issue 11
• Fang et al., 2018. Stage at which riluzole treatment prolongs survival in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a retrospective analysis of data from a dose-ranging study Volume 17, Issue 5

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Key collaborators

• Professor Leonard van den Berg, University Medical Center Utrecht
• Professor Orla Hardiman, Trinity College Dublin
• Professor Christopher McDermott, University of Sheffield
• Professor Chris Shaw, King's College London