Biography

My research investigates cellular mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, with a focus on tau-related neurodegeneration. My main interests are:

1. Investigating how abnormal tau processing affects tau localisation and function to cause synapse and neuron loss.
2. Studying the contribution of non-neuronal cells in neurodegenerative disease.

This includes projects aimed at defining and targeting pathways by which astrocytes and neuroinflammatory cascades affect synapse and neuron health. My team has developed and characterised a range of cell and animal models to enhance research in this area, and have conducted pre-clinical studies that led to clinical trials of new drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's. I am also an active member of King’s teaching staff and currently sit on the Alzheimer’s Research UK grant review board.

Please see my Research Staff Profile for more detail

Key publications:

• Perez-Nievas BG, Johnson L, Beltran-Lobo P, Hughes MM, Gammallieri L, Tarsitano F, Myszczynska MA, Vazquez-Villasenor I, Jimenez-Sanchez M, Troakes C, Wharton SB, Ferraiuolo L, Noble W. 2021. Astrocytic C-X-C motif chemokine ligand-1 mediates β-amyloid-induced synaptotoxicity. J Neuroinflammation. 
• Glennon et al., 2020. Bridging integrator 1 protein loss in Alzheimer’s disease promotes synaptic tau accumulation and disrupts tau release. Brain Comms.
• Howard R, Zubko O, Bradley R, Harper E, Pank L, O'Brien J, Fox C, Tabet N, Livingston G, Bentham P, McShane R, Burns A, Ritchie C, Reeves S, Lovestone S, Ballard C, Noble W, Nilforooshan R, Wilcock G, Gray R; Minocycline in Alzheimer Disease Efficacy (MADE) Trialist Group. 2020. Minocycline at 2 Different Dosages vs Placebo for Patients With Mild Alzheimer Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Neurology. 
• Atherton J, Kurbatskaya K, Bondulich M, Croft CL, Garwood CJ, Chhabra R, Wray S, Jeromin A, Hanger DP, Noble W. 2014. Calpain cleavage and inactivation of the sodium calcium exchanger-3 occur downstream of Aβ in Alzheimer's disease. Aging Cell. 
• Noble W, Planel E, Zehr C, Olm V, Meyerson J, Suleman F, Gaynor K, Wang L, LaFrancois J, Feinstein B, Burns M, Krishnamurthy P, Wen Y, Bhat R, Lewis J, Dickson D, Duff K. 2005. Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 by lithium correlates with reduced tauopathy and degeneration in vivo. PNAS. 

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Key collaborators:

• Professor Diane Hanger, King's College London
• Professor Chris Miller, King's College London
• Professor Peter Giese, King's College London
• Professor Pascal Derkinderen, University of Nantes