London Down Syndrome Consortium (LonDownS)

We are a multidisciplinary group of clinicians, human geneticists, developmental psychologists, mouse geneticists, psychiatrists and cellular scientists working towards understanding dementia in people with Down syndrome.

Members

Laura Arsuffi

Visiting Associate

Asaad Baksh

Research Associate

Charlotte Blackmore

Research Assistant

Nigel Blackwood

Reader in Forensic Psychiatry

Sarah Blainey

Lecturer in Clinical Psychology

Elisa Brann

PhD Student

Penelope Brown

Clinical Research Fellow in Forensic Psychiatr

Matthew Bruce

Visiting Associate

Marie-Stephanie Cahart

Research Assistant (part-time PhD student)

Judit Ciarrusta

PhD student

Jennifer Cooke

Research Associate

Michael Craig

Reader in Forensic & Neurodevelopmental SCiences

Daisy Crawley

PhD Student

Eileen Daly

Senior Lecturer

Quinton Deeley

Senior Lecturer

Hannah Dickson

Lecturer

Brenda Diffley

Senior Research Officer

Sunniva Fenn-Moltu

PhD Student

Julia Griem

PhD student

Maria Gudbrandsen

Research Associate

Maria Gudbrandsen

Research Associate

Hannah Hayward

PhD Student

Alexandra Hertz

PhD Student

Rosalyn Hithersay

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Andy Inett

Consultant Forensic Psychologist

Ayesha Javed

PhD Student

Johanna Kangas

Clinical Research Nurse for Forensics and Neurodevelopmental Sciences

Alexandra Lautarescu

Doctoral researcher

Megan Leverington

Research Assistant

Grainne McAlonan

Professor

Declan Murphy

Professor

Deborah Ness

NIHR Maudsley BRC PhD student

Suzanne O’ Brien

PhD Student

Bethany Oakley

PhD Student

Gavin Oxburgh

Professor

Atena Papatraian

Visiting Associate

Sarah Pape

Clinical Research Fellow

Andreia Pereira

PhD Student

Charlotte M. Pretzsch

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Andrew Rogers

Honorary Lecturer

Shubulade Smith

Visiting Senior Lecturer

Andre Strydom

Professor in Intellectual Disabilities

Emma Sullivan

Research Assistant

John Tully

Clinical Research Fellow

Katy Vecchiato

Clinical Research Fellow

Hester Velthuis

PhD student

Emily Whelan

Research Assistant

Nichol Wong

Postdoctoral Research Associate

22q Deletion

22q11.2DS is a disorder caused by the deletion of a small piece of chromosome 22.

Children with conduct problems

Children with conduct problems (CP) are repetitively and persistently aggressive, destructive and break rules in social and school settings.

Diagnostic specificity and treatment response prediction in ADHD

The aim of this project is to develop new tools that both help improve our understanding of the causes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD).

Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP)

The EU-AIMS Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP)

Maternal prenatal depression on infant brain development

Prenatal depression is common experience affecting around 10–25% of women at any point during their pregnancy.

Synaptic dysfunction and intrinsic excitability in ASD

The aim of this project is to combine optical imaging techniques with electrophysiology to investigate novel structural and functional pathways.

The Neurochemical Basis of Antisocial Personality Disorder and Psychopathy

Improving understanding of brain chemistry in complex conditions and behaviours in forensic mental health.

The LonDownS Cohort Study

This is a longitudinal study of adults with Down syndrome that includes bi-annual assessments of cognitive abilities and health. This study explores genetic and environmental factors that influence cognition throughout adulthood, and influence risk for dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease in this population.

Fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in Down syndrome

Linked with the LonDownS cohort study, this project is exploring how we can use biomarkers in the blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid to better understand and predict the development of Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome

Neuroimaging biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in Down syndrome

Another addition to the LonDownS Cohort Study, these projects will explore the use of neuroimaging methods (MRI, PET, EEG and fNIRS) to track changes in brain structure and function related to ageing and Alzheimer’s disease in Down syndrome