Barts and The London Centre for Neurosciences | For clinicians | Research
Research
Barts and The London Centre for Neurosciences is involved in active research and has close working partnerships with Barts and The London’s medical school – Queen Mary School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Neurology
Professor Gavin Giovannoni leads our academic work in neurology and we are a leading research centre for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and neuro immunology. The centre is one of only a few places to provide new mitoxantrone therapy for aggressive MS. Research is also ongoing in epilepsy, and specialist clinics have been developed for patients with MS, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and for neuro-rehabilitation.
Multiple Sclerosis
We are a regional centre for MS and this service is led by Professor Giovannoni and Dr Turner. There are disease management programmes and the unit is a leading trial centre for developing patient-centred treatment.
Anti-Natalizumab (Tysabri) antibody* testing
We are able to perform testing for neutralising antibodies to Natalizumab. Please use the following links to obtain information on sample requirements and a test request form.
Download Anti-Tysabri antibodies testing information sheet.
Download Anti-Tysabri antibodies testing request form.
Anti-Natalizumab (Tysabri) antibodies have been associated with infusion reactions and loss of efficacy of the drug (Calabresi et al., 2007). If you have any queries on the subject please do not hesitate to contact Professor Gavin Giovannoni (g.giovannoni@qmul.ac.uk / tel 020 7377 7472) or Dr Paul Creeke (p.i.creeke@qmul.ac.uk) for more information.
Calabresi PA, Giovannoni G, Confavreux C, Galetta SL, Havrdova E, Hutchinson M, Kappos L, Miller DH, O'Connor PW, Phillips JT, Polman CH, Radue EW, Rudick RA, Stuart WH, Lublin FD, Wajgt A, Weinstock-Guttman B, Wynn DR, Lynn F, Panzara MA; AFFIRM and SENTINEL Investigators. The incidence and significance of anti-natalizumab antibodies: results from AFFIRM and SENTINEL. Neurology. 2007 Oct 2;69(14):1391-403.
Neurostimulation
The centre is a national centre of excellence for research into the use of neurostimulation. Plans are in place to extend the research in deep-brain neurostimulation to movement disorders within the brain.
Spinal injury and complex spinal surgery
There is an active clinical research program with plans for the appointment of a senior clinical fellow in spinal neurosurgery. There is also extensive lab-based research in the fields of spinal cord injury and nerve regeneration in the new medical school. A number of neurosurgery trainees from across the country in recent years have conducted research periods in this program and obtained higher degrees. Active research is conducted in complex spinal surgery with the pioneering of new techniques such as Spinal Neuronavigation and Kyphoplasty.
Complex skull base surgery and pituitary surgery
The results of new approaches using endoscopy in pituitary surgery have been published and presented nationally and internationally by the centre, and the research program is ongoing. Focus is being made of the potential for improved results, especially for microscopic endocrine pituitary tumours. There are also plans for a new dedicated senior clinical fellow post in skull base surgery.
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Two dedicated research fellows in Oral Medicine are currently conducting research into this condition. We have been the recipient of several prestigious Medical Research Council grants for drug trials held within the clinic, and several clinical research programs are active in the areas of patient symptomatology, patient experience of surgery and the detailed analysis of surgical results. There has been a steady stream of publications and presentations at national and international conferences.
