Contact
Biography
David originates from Aberdeen, though primarily based in the city for his undergraduate degree, PhD and his initial post-doctorate, he has lived and worked in Germany, Poland and France. Having been based in Newcastle for the last 5 years, he has returned to Scotland as a Neuroscience Lecturer (Research and Teaching) in Dundee.
Research
David’s research utilises a mixture of post-mortem human brain tissue and models to explore emerging roles of DNA damage and genomic instability in the cellular dysfunction which underlie neurodegenerative diseases.
His recent work in Dementia with Lewy bodies has identified novel nuclear alpha-synuclein pathology and widespread nuclear DNA damage as early occurring cellular insults. Such DNA damage may contribute to pathogenic pathways of cellular dysfunction and highlights DNA damage and key nuclear changes as potential future therapeutic targets.
Current work at Dundee will explore the contribution of additional neurodegenerative associated proteins, tau and beta-amyloid within the nucleus and will determine if across the neurodegenerative spectrum these proteins act synergically to induce DNA damage and diminish its repair.