Matthew Williamson

Education

University of Oxford, (2014-2018), DPhil Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics

University College London, (2012-2014), MRes Neuroscience

University of Nottingham, (2009-2012), BSc Biochemistry and Genetics

Research Interests

My main research interest is to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease and motor neuron disease (MND).

I began working within the field of neurodegeneration during my MRes Degree, where I worked in Professor Victor Tybulewicz's laboratory and continued my work here as a research technician until 2014. My studies focused on identifying genes located on human chromosome 21 that cause motor neuron degeneration in Down syndrome.

Then in 2014, I joined Professor Peter Oliver's group, where I investigated the protective function of an antioxidant protein called oxidation resistance 1 (Oxr1) and its potential use as a therapeutic target for MND. My DPhil was funded by the motor neurone disease association (MNDA).

Currently, I am a postdoctoral scientist in the Wade-Martins Group. My research aims to improve our understanding of mitochondrial dysfunction and mitophagy in neuronal models of Parkinson's disease with a particular focus on targeting deubiquitinase enzymes as a therapeutic approach. This work is in collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb.