Founding Investigators

Prof. Denise Fitzgerald

Prof. Denise Fitzgerald

Key words:
Demyelination / Remyelination
/ T cells

Our Regenerative Neuroimmunology research group are interested in the role of the adaptive immune system and in particular T cells, in both myelin damage and regeneration in the central nervous system. Our goal is to make new biological discoveries to help develop new treatments for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and other demyelinating conditions.

Our expertise:

  • T cell biology

  • In vitro cultures of immune cells and glial cells

  • Ex vivo CNS slice cultures

  • In vivo models of demyelination and remyelination

  • MS tissue neuropathology (Dame Ingrid Allen Tissue Bank)

Dr. Yvonne Dombrowski

Dr. Yvonne Dombrowski

Key words:
Inflammasome / Innate
Immune System / Myelin

Our research interest focuses on innate immune mechanisms in myelin damage and repair in MS. In particular, we are interested in understanding the role of inflammasomes and downstream signaling in myelin damage and regeneration in MS with the aim to identify key immune mechanisms that can be therapeutically targeted to promote remyelination.

Our expertise:

  • In vitro glial cell culture,

  • Ex vivo cerebellar slice culture

  • In vivo models of de- and remyelination

Alerie Guzman de la Fuente

Dr. Alerie Guzman de la Fuente

Key words:
Ageing / Oligodendrocyte
lineage Cells / Myelin

My research focuses on how ageing affects glial cells, and in particular oligodendrocyte lineage cells in the central nervous system (CNS) and how that may influence key processes such as inflammation and regeneration. I am interested in understanding how ageing alters the CNS cellular network and the response of oligodendrocyte lineage cells to myelin damage and repair in Multiple Sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Expertise and techniques:

  • In vitro rodent glial cell culture of different ages

  • In vitro T cell culture

  • Ex vivo cerebellar slice culture

  • In vivo models of de- and remyelination

  • Molecular and Cellular Biology (CoIP, Duolink, Immunohistochemistry…)

Dr. Claire McCoy

Dr. Claire McCoy

Key words:
Macrophages / MicroRNA
/ Inflammation

Our research aims to investigate the role of microRNAs as mediators of the pro-inflammatory response in macrophages in the context of multiple sclerosis (MS). Understanding the mechanisms regulated via microRNAs will allow us to develop key therapeutic targets to reduce inflammation and prevent disease progression in MS.

Our expertise:

  • MicroRNA biology

  • Macrophage cell culture

  • Brain organoid cultures

  • In vivo models of inflammation
Dr Una Fitzgerald

Dr Una FitzGerald

Key words:
Myelin / ER stress /
MS pathology

Our main research goal is to investigate the pathological processes occurring during multiple sclerosis (MS) with the aim of developing novel approaches to treating progressive MS. We have completed many post-mortem MS tissue, pre-clinical and ex vivo studies, investigating endoplasmic reticulum stress signalling and modelling various aspects of disease pathology.   Our current major focus is the progressive phase of MS.

Our expertise:

  • Post-mortem MS tissue analysis

  • Brain cell lines

  • Murine mix glial cell culture models

  • Human iPSC-derived cell lines

  • Ex vivo brain slice culture models

  • Biomarker biology

Dr. Jill McMahon

Dr. Jill McMahon

Key words:
Myelin / ER stress /
Neuropathology / MS pathology

My research interests are focused on neuroscience and neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and mild-traumatic brain injury. My main aim is to elucidate how endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response influence glial cell differentiation and death, and therefore MS progression and demyelination.

Expertise & techniques:

  • Neurohistological techniques

  • Analysis of neuropathological changes in human and animal CNS tissue

  • Cell culture of mixed glial cells and murine and human cell lines

  • In vivo models of mild traumatic brain injury

  • Gene and cell therapy using viral and non-viral vectors

  • Biomarker biology

  • MS tissue neuropathology (Dame Ingrid Allen Tissue Bank)