Profile:
Rene's diverse research experiences bridging structural biology,
mouse genetics, neuroscience, and neurodegenerative disease underpin the multidisciplinary ethos in the group.
He started his research career with a PhD under Richard Perham at the
University of Cambridge and in close collaboration with Ben Luisi
investigated the assembly and catalytic mechanisms of multienzyme
complexes by biochemical reconstitution, X-ray crystallography, and EPR.
Following his fond experiences exploring how molecular machines work in
central metabolism, Rene used a Royal Commission for the Exhibition of
1851 Research Fellowship followed by a Sir Richard Wilson Junior
Research Fellowship at Emmanuel College Cambridge, to join Seth Grant's
group at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. In Seth's group Rene's
research used mouse genetics and human genetics to study glutamatergic
synapses. Rene was also invited as a visiting scientist to the MRC LMB
by Nigel Unwin, where he learned cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM).
In 2013 Rene was recruited by Michel Goedert (Head of the Division of
Neurobiology, MRC-LMB) to develop a project
combining mouse genetics and cryo-electron microscopy to investigate
synapses and neurodegeneration. Over the years Seth, Nigel, and Michel
have impressed upon him the advantages of studying biology in its
native state, which led him to his current program of research.
In 2018, Rene started his own group at the University of Leeds with a
University Academic Fellowship following an investment of £11m in
cryoEM facilities. At Leeds Rene is combining mouse genetics and cryoEM
to investigate in situ
molecular structure of the mammalian brain. He is particularly
interested in structural mechanisms of synapses, memory, and
Alzheimer's disease-associated molecular pathology. Rene is currently funded by
a UKRI Future Leader Fellowship 'Seeing inside the brain'.
Beyond science and family Rene enjoys studying chinese (我有时间的时候我要学中文)
and mountain sports (running, cycling, and snowboarding).
Nayab Fatima (Postdoctoral Ressearch Scientist)
Nayab
joined the group in April 2022. After a PhD investigating therapeutic gold nanoparticles to deliver therapeutics at Sheffield NHS Trust and the Open Univeristy she worked during the pandemic at Amazon diagnostics establishing a pipeline for SARS-Cov-2 testing. Her current research is focussed on Alzheimer’s disease and developing novel work-flows determining in-tissue structures by cryoCLEM and cryoET.
Megan Lovatt (PhD student)
Meg joined the group October 2019 after having
graduated from the University of Leeds with a first-class degree in
Pharmacology (BSc, MBiol). During her studies she received funding via
the Jennifer Rowles studentship to investigate the applications of
histone deacetylase-2 inhibitors in Multiple Sclerosis, supervised by
Dr. Ian Wood. Her Master's dissertation, supervised by Dr. Lin-Hua
Jiang, focussed on the role of Transient Receptor Potential
Melastatin-2 (TRPM2) channels in Alzheimer’s disease-related pericyte
dysfunction. Such opportunities developed her interests in
neuroscience, inspiring her to pursue a PhD in this field.
Maddie Gilbert (PhD student)
Maddie joined the group October 2021 after having
graduated from the University of Leeds with a first-class degree in
Neuroscience (BSc, MBiol). During her studies she received funding via
the Jennifer Rowles studentship to carry out a sub-tomogram averaging project (during the COVID lockdown). Maddeleine is researching the structural bais of Alzheimer's disease-mediated toxicity in the mammalian brain.
Xinpeng Liu (Master's student)
Past group members
Conny Leistner, PhD student (2018-2022). Conny passed her viva Septmber 2022 and will start as a staff scientist at the Harvard Medical School Cryo-EM facility Jan 2023.
Barbara Altenhuber, MBIOL (2020-2022). Present: PhD student at the Prion Unit, University College London) working on neurodegenerative disease.
Ailidh
Burgess, Research assistant (2018-2019). Present: PhD student at Crick Institute, London working on viruses.
