![Mariah Lelos](https://profiles-cardiff.imgix.net/attachments/1099?w=200&h=200&auto=format&crop=faces&fit=crop&q=90")
Dr Mariah Lelos
(she/her)
Reader
School of Biosciences
- Available for postgraduate supervision
Overview
I co-direct the Brain Repair Group (BRG), where we focus on understanding and treating neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. We are interested in understanding the manifestation of motor and non-motor (cognitive, neuropsychiatric) dysfunctions in degenerative diseases using lesion, viral vector and genetically modified rodent models. We are also investigating the ability of novel cell (hESC- and hiPSC-derived) and gene therapies to alleviate these impairments and optimising these treatments for clinical application.
I am the Deputy Head of the Neuroscience Division
I am a PI within the Medicines Discovery Institute (MDI) and co-I in the Dementia Research Institute (DRI)
I act as an Associate Theme Lead for Mind, Brain and Neurosciences
I am the Deputy Chair and Biosi Representative on the Animal Welfare and Research Panel (AWARP)
I also sit on the GMBA committee
I act as a External Examiner at Kings College London for the Neuroscience and Psychology BSc
Publication
2024
- Clark, B. J., Lelos, M. J. and Loring, J. F. 2024. Advancing Parkinson’s disease treatment: cell replacement therapy with neurons derived from pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells 42(9), pp. 781-790., article number: sxae042. (10.1093/stmcls/sxae042)
- Hennegan, J. et al. 2024. Inhibition of 7α,26-dihydroxycholesterol biosynthesis promotes midbrain dopaminergic neuron development. iScience 27(1), article number: 108670. (10.1016/j.isci.2023.108670)
2023
- Lelos, M. J., Murphy, E. M., Lindgren, H. S., Dunnett, S. B. and Lane, E. L. 2023. Impaired cognitive and motor function are coincident with l -DOPA-induced dyskinesia in a model of Parkinson’s disease. Scientific Reports 13, article number: 17697. (10.1038/s41598-023-44869-y)
- Indrigo, M. et al. 2023. Nuclear ERK1/2 signaling potentiation enhances neuroprotection and cognition via Importinα1/KPNA2. EMBO Molecular Medicine 15(11), article number: e15984. (10.15252/emmm.202215984)
- Casella, C. et al. 2023. Differences in white matter detected by ex vivo 9.4T MRI are associated with axonal changes in the R6/1 model of Huntington’s Disease. [Online]. BioRXiv: BioRXiv. (10.1101/2023.10.02.560424) Available at: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.10.02.560424
- Clinch, S. P., Busse, M., Griffiths, J., Rosser, A. and Lelos, M. 2023. Identification of the neural correlates underlying conflict resolution performance using a rodent analogue of the Stroop tests. Neuroscience 524, pp. 79-88. (10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.05.024)
- Rees, D. et al. 2023. Acyl-ghrelin attenuates neurochemical and motor deficits in the 6-OHDA model of Parkinson’s Disease. Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology 43, pp. 2377-2384. (10.1007/s10571-022-01282-9)
- Hills, R. et al. 2023. Neurite outgrowth and gene expression profile correlate with efficacity of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived dopamine neuron grafts. Stem Cells and Development 32(13-14), pp. 387-397. (10.1089/scd.2023.0043)
2022
- Jareno, P. G., Bartley, O., Precious, S., Rosser, A. and Lelos, M. 2022. Challenges in progressing cell therapies to the clinic for Huntington's disease: A review of the progress made with pluripotent stem cell derived medium spiny neurons. In: Lane, E. L., Drew, C. and Lelos, M. J. eds. International Review of Neurobiology: Current Challenges in Cell Therapy for Neurodegenerative Diseases., Vol. 166. Elsevier, pp. 1-48., (10.1016/bs.irn.2022.09.003)
- Lelos, M. J. 2022. Investigating cell therapies in animal models of Parkinson's and Huntington's disease: current challenges and considerations. In: Lane, E. L., Drew, C. and Lelos, M. J. eds. International Review of Neurobiology., Vol. 166. Elsevier, pp. 158-189., (10.1016/bs.irn.2022.09.005)
- Lane, E. L. and Lelos, M. J. 2022. Defining the unknowns for cell therapies in Parkinson's disease. Disease Models and Mechanisms 15(10), article number: dmm049543. (10.1242/dmm.049543)
- Sap, J. B. I. et al. 2022. [18F]Difluorocarbene for Positron Emission Tomography. Nature 606, pp. 102-108. (10.1038/s41586-022-04669-2)
- Lelos, M. J. 2022. Can cell and gene therapies improve cognitive symptoms in Parkinson's disease?. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience 21(3), article number: 78. (10.31083/j.jin2103078)
- Lane, E. L., Harrison, D. J., Ramos-Varas, E., Hills, R., Turner, S. and Lelos, M. J. 2022. Spontaneous graft-induced dyskinesias are independent of 5-HT neurons and levodopa priming in a model of Parkinson's disease. Movement Disorders 37(3), pp. 613-619. (10.1002/mds.28856)
2021
- Bartley, O. J. M., Lelos, M. J., Gray, W. P. and Rosser, A. E. 2021. Do foetal transplant studies continue to be justified in Huntington's disease?. Neuronal Signaling 5, article number: acerbic. (10.1042/NS20210019)
2020
- Lelos, M. 2020. Overview of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and the role of protein aggregation in these neurodegenerative diseases. In: Salgado, A. J. ed. Handbook of Innovations in Central Nervous System Regenerative Medicine. Elsevier, pp. 29-53., (doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818084-6.00002-7)
2018
- Lelos, M. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2018. Generating excitotoxic lesion models of Huntington’s Disease. In: Precious, S. V., Rosser, A. E. and Dunnett, S. B. eds. Huntington’s Disease. Methods in Molecular Biology New York, NY, USA:, pp. 209-220., (10.1007/978-1-4939-7825-0_11)
- Clinch, S. P., Busse, M., Lelos, M. J. and Rosser, A. E. 2018. Rethinking functional outcome measures: the development of an upper limb test to assess basal ganglia dysfunction. Frontiers in Neuroscience 12, article number: 366. (10.3389/fnins.2018.00366)
2017
- Kirkeby, A. et al. 2017. Predictive markers guide differentiation to improve graft outcome in clinical translation of hESC-based therapy for Parkinson's disease. Cell Stem Cell 20(1), pp. 135-148. (10.1016/j.stem.2016.09.004)
2016
- Yhnell, E., Lelos, M. J., Dunnett, S. B. and Brooks, S. P. 2016. L30 Cognitive training improves disease symptoms in a mouse model of huntington's disease. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 87(Supp 1), pp. A100-A101. (10.1136/jnnp-2016-314597.285)
- Yhnell, E., Lelos, M. J., Dunnett, S. B. and Brooks, S. P. 2016. Cognitive training modifies disease symptoms in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. Experimental Neurology 282, pp. 19-26. (10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.05.008)
- Harvey, A. K. et al. 2016. Novel application of behavioral assays allows dissociation of joint pathology from systemic extra-articular alterations induced by inflammatory arthritis. Journal of Rheumatic Diseases and Treatment 2(2), article number: 33. (10.23937/2469-5726/1510033)
- Lelos, M., Morgan, R. J., Kelly, C., Torres, E. M., Rosser, A. E. and Dunnett, S. B. 2016. Amelioration of non-motor dysfunctions after transplantation of human dopamine neurons in a model of Parkinson's disease. Experimental Neurology 278, pp. 54-61. (10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.02.003)
- Lelos, M. J. et al. 2016. Direct comparison of rat- and human-derived ganglionic eminence tissue grafts on motor function. Cell Transplantation 25, pp. 665-675. (10.3727/096368915X690297)
2014
- Lelos, M. J. and Good, M. A. 2014. β-Amyloid pathology alters neural network activation during retrieval of contextual fear memories in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. European Journal of Neuroscience 39(10), pp. 1690-1703. (10.1111/ejn.12527)
2013
- Murphy, E. M., Lelos, M. J., O'Neill, M. J., Lane, E. L. and Dunnett, S. B. 2013. Long-term restorative effects of bromocriptine on operant responding in the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat. NeuroReport 24(18), pp. 1019-1024. (10.1097/WNR.0000000000000060)
- Heuer, A., Lelos, M. J., Kelly, C., Torres, E. M. and Dunnett, S. B. 2013. Dopamine-rich grafts alleviate deficits in contralateral response space induced by extensive dopamine depletion in rats. Experimental Neurology 247, pp. 485-495. (10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.01.020)
- Lelos, M. J., Lane, E. and Dunnett, S. B. 2013. What helps can also hinder: A dissociation in the acute effect of levodopa treatment on motor and cognitive functions. Movement Disorders 28(5), pp. 563-564. (10.1002/mds.25294)
- Carri, A. D. et al. 2013. Developmentally coordinated extrinsic signals drive human pluripotent stem cell differentiation toward authentic DARPP-32(+) medium-sized spiny neurons. Development 140(2), pp. 301-312. (10.1242/dev.084608)
- Lelos, M. J., Harrison, D. J., Rosser, A. E. and Dunnett, S. B. 2013. The lateral neostriatum is necessary for compensatory ingestive behaviour after intravascular dehydration in female rats. Appetite 71, pp. 287-294. (10.1016/j.appet.2013.09.003)
- Trueman, R. C., Klein, A., Lindgren, H. S., Lelos, M. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2013. Repair of the CNS using endogenous and transplanted neural stem cells. Current Topics in Behavioural Neurosciences 15, pp. 357-398. (10.1007/7854_2012_223)
2012
- Lelos, M. J., Harrison, D. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2012. Intrastriatal excitotoxic lesion or dopamine depletion of the neostriatum differentially impairs response execution in extrapersonal space. European Journal of Neuroscience 36(10), pp. 3420-3428. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.2012.08256.x)
- Lindgren, H. S., Lelos, M. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2012. Do alpha-synuclein vector injections provide a better model of Parkinson's disease than the classic 6-hydroxydopamine model?. Experimental Neurology 237(1), pp. 36-42. (10.1016/j.expneurol.2012.05.022)
- Lelos, M. J. and Good, M. A. 2012. c-Fos expression reveals aberrant neural network activity during cued fear conditioning in APPswe transgenic mice. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 98(1), pp. 1-11. (10.1016/j.nlm.2012.03.001)
- Dunnett, S. B., Heuer, A., Lelos, M. J., Brooks, S. P. and Rosser, A. E. 2012. Bilateral striatal lesions disrupt performance in an operant delayed reinforcement task in rats. Brain Research Bulletin 88(2-3), pp. 251-260. (10.1016/j.brainresbull.2011.04.002)
- Heuer, A., Smith, G. A., Lelos, M. J., Lane, E. L. and Dunnett, S. B. 2012. Unilateral nigrostriatal 6-hydroxydopamine lesions in mice I: Motor impairments identify extent of dopamine depletion at three different lesion sites. Behavioural Brain Research 228(1), pp. 30-43. (10.1016/j.bbr.2011.11.027)
- Lelos, M. J., Dowd, E. and Dunnett, S. B. 2012. Nigral grafts in animal models of Parkinson's disease. Is recovery beyond motor function possible?. In: Progress in Brain Research., Vol. 200. Elsevier, pp. 113-142., (10.1016/B978-0-444-59575-1.00006-5)
2011
- Lelos, M. J., Harrison, D. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2011. Impaired sensitivity to Pavlovian stimulus-outcome learning after excitotoxic lesion of the ventrolateral neostriatum. Behavioural Brain Research 225(2), pp. 522-528. (10.1016/j.bbr.2011.08.017)
- Thomas, R. S., Lelos, M. J., Good, M. A. and Kidd, E. J. 2011. Clathrin-mediated endocytic proteins are upregulated in the cortex of the Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease-like amyloid pathology. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 415(4), pp. 656-661. (10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.10.131)
- Lelos, M. J., Thomas, R. S., Kidd, E. J. and Good, M. A. 2011. Outcome-specific satiety reveals a deficit in context-outcome, but not stimulus-or action-outcome, associations in aged Tg2576 mice. Behavioral Neuroscience 125(3), pp. 412-425. (10.1037/a0023415)
- Lelos, M. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2011. Aberrant dopamine transmission and cognitive dysfunction in animal models of Parkinson's disease. Journal of Parkinson's Disease 1(2), pp. 151-165.
2010
- Lelos, M. J. 2010. Influence of beta-amyloid pathology on emotional learning and memory in the APPswe model of Alzheimer's disease. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
- Dunnett, S. B. and Lelos, M. 2010. Behavioural analysis of motor and non-motor symptoms in rodent models of Parkinson’s disease. In: Progress in Brain Research., Vol. 184. Elsevier, pp. 35-51., (10.1016/S0079-6123(10)84003-8)
Articles
- Clark, B. J., Lelos, M. J. and Loring, J. F. 2024. Advancing Parkinson’s disease treatment: cell replacement therapy with neurons derived from pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells 42(9), pp. 781-790., article number: sxae042. (10.1093/stmcls/sxae042)
- Hennegan, J. et al. 2024. Inhibition of 7α,26-dihydroxycholesterol biosynthesis promotes midbrain dopaminergic neuron development. iScience 27(1), article number: 108670. (10.1016/j.isci.2023.108670)
- Lelos, M. J., Murphy, E. M., Lindgren, H. S., Dunnett, S. B. and Lane, E. L. 2023. Impaired cognitive and motor function are coincident with l -DOPA-induced dyskinesia in a model of Parkinson’s disease. Scientific Reports 13, article number: 17697. (10.1038/s41598-023-44869-y)
- Indrigo, M. et al. 2023. Nuclear ERK1/2 signaling potentiation enhances neuroprotection and cognition via Importinα1/KPNA2. EMBO Molecular Medicine 15(11), article number: e15984. (10.15252/emmm.202215984)
- Clinch, S. P., Busse, M., Griffiths, J., Rosser, A. and Lelos, M. 2023. Identification of the neural correlates underlying conflict resolution performance using a rodent analogue of the Stroop tests. Neuroscience 524, pp. 79-88. (10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.05.024)
- Rees, D. et al. 2023. Acyl-ghrelin attenuates neurochemical and motor deficits in the 6-OHDA model of Parkinson’s Disease. Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology 43, pp. 2377-2384. (10.1007/s10571-022-01282-9)
- Hills, R. et al. 2023. Neurite outgrowth and gene expression profile correlate with efficacity of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived dopamine neuron grafts. Stem Cells and Development 32(13-14), pp. 387-397. (10.1089/scd.2023.0043)
- Lane, E. L. and Lelos, M. J. 2022. Defining the unknowns for cell therapies in Parkinson's disease. Disease Models and Mechanisms 15(10), article number: dmm049543. (10.1242/dmm.049543)
- Sap, J. B. I. et al. 2022. [18F]Difluorocarbene for Positron Emission Tomography. Nature 606, pp. 102-108. (10.1038/s41586-022-04669-2)
- Lelos, M. J. 2022. Can cell and gene therapies improve cognitive symptoms in Parkinson's disease?. Journal of Integrative Neuroscience 21(3), article number: 78. (10.31083/j.jin2103078)
- Lane, E. L., Harrison, D. J., Ramos-Varas, E., Hills, R., Turner, S. and Lelos, M. J. 2022. Spontaneous graft-induced dyskinesias are independent of 5-HT neurons and levodopa priming in a model of Parkinson's disease. Movement Disorders 37(3), pp. 613-619. (10.1002/mds.28856)
- Bartley, O. J. M., Lelos, M. J., Gray, W. P. and Rosser, A. E. 2021. Do foetal transplant studies continue to be justified in Huntington's disease?. Neuronal Signaling 5, article number: acerbic. (10.1042/NS20210019)
- Clinch, S. P., Busse, M., Lelos, M. J. and Rosser, A. E. 2018. Rethinking functional outcome measures: the development of an upper limb test to assess basal ganglia dysfunction. Frontiers in Neuroscience 12, article number: 366. (10.3389/fnins.2018.00366)
- Kirkeby, A. et al. 2017. Predictive markers guide differentiation to improve graft outcome in clinical translation of hESC-based therapy for Parkinson's disease. Cell Stem Cell 20(1), pp. 135-148. (10.1016/j.stem.2016.09.004)
- Yhnell, E., Lelos, M. J., Dunnett, S. B. and Brooks, S. P. 2016. L30 Cognitive training improves disease symptoms in a mouse model of huntington's disease. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry 87(Supp 1), pp. A100-A101. (10.1136/jnnp-2016-314597.285)
- Yhnell, E., Lelos, M. J., Dunnett, S. B. and Brooks, S. P. 2016. Cognitive training modifies disease symptoms in a mouse model of Huntington's disease. Experimental Neurology 282, pp. 19-26. (10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.05.008)
- Harvey, A. K. et al. 2016. Novel application of behavioral assays allows dissociation of joint pathology from systemic extra-articular alterations induced by inflammatory arthritis. Journal of Rheumatic Diseases and Treatment 2(2), article number: 33. (10.23937/2469-5726/1510033)
- Lelos, M., Morgan, R. J., Kelly, C., Torres, E. M., Rosser, A. E. and Dunnett, S. B. 2016. Amelioration of non-motor dysfunctions after transplantation of human dopamine neurons in a model of Parkinson's disease. Experimental Neurology 278, pp. 54-61. (10.1016/j.expneurol.2016.02.003)
- Lelos, M. J. et al. 2016. Direct comparison of rat- and human-derived ganglionic eminence tissue grafts on motor function. Cell Transplantation 25, pp. 665-675. (10.3727/096368915X690297)
- Lelos, M. J. and Good, M. A. 2014. β-Amyloid pathology alters neural network activation during retrieval of contextual fear memories in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. European Journal of Neuroscience 39(10), pp. 1690-1703. (10.1111/ejn.12527)
- Murphy, E. M., Lelos, M. J., O'Neill, M. J., Lane, E. L. and Dunnett, S. B. 2013. Long-term restorative effects of bromocriptine on operant responding in the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat. NeuroReport 24(18), pp. 1019-1024. (10.1097/WNR.0000000000000060)
- Heuer, A., Lelos, M. J., Kelly, C., Torres, E. M. and Dunnett, S. B. 2013. Dopamine-rich grafts alleviate deficits in contralateral response space induced by extensive dopamine depletion in rats. Experimental Neurology 247, pp. 485-495. (10.1016/j.expneurol.2013.01.020)
- Lelos, M. J., Lane, E. and Dunnett, S. B. 2013. What helps can also hinder: A dissociation in the acute effect of levodopa treatment on motor and cognitive functions. Movement Disorders 28(5), pp. 563-564. (10.1002/mds.25294)
- Carri, A. D. et al. 2013. Developmentally coordinated extrinsic signals drive human pluripotent stem cell differentiation toward authentic DARPP-32(+) medium-sized spiny neurons. Development 140(2), pp. 301-312. (10.1242/dev.084608)
- Lelos, M. J., Harrison, D. J., Rosser, A. E. and Dunnett, S. B. 2013. The lateral neostriatum is necessary for compensatory ingestive behaviour after intravascular dehydration in female rats. Appetite 71, pp. 287-294. (10.1016/j.appet.2013.09.003)
- Trueman, R. C., Klein, A., Lindgren, H. S., Lelos, M. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2013. Repair of the CNS using endogenous and transplanted neural stem cells. Current Topics in Behavioural Neurosciences 15, pp. 357-398. (10.1007/7854_2012_223)
- Lelos, M. J., Harrison, D. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2012. Intrastriatal excitotoxic lesion or dopamine depletion of the neostriatum differentially impairs response execution in extrapersonal space. European Journal of Neuroscience 36(10), pp. 3420-3428. (10.1111/j.1460-9568.2012.08256.x)
- Lindgren, H. S., Lelos, M. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2012. Do alpha-synuclein vector injections provide a better model of Parkinson's disease than the classic 6-hydroxydopamine model?. Experimental Neurology 237(1), pp. 36-42. (10.1016/j.expneurol.2012.05.022)
- Lelos, M. J. and Good, M. A. 2012. c-Fos expression reveals aberrant neural network activity during cued fear conditioning in APPswe transgenic mice. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory 98(1), pp. 1-11. (10.1016/j.nlm.2012.03.001)
- Dunnett, S. B., Heuer, A., Lelos, M. J., Brooks, S. P. and Rosser, A. E. 2012. Bilateral striatal lesions disrupt performance in an operant delayed reinforcement task in rats. Brain Research Bulletin 88(2-3), pp. 251-260. (10.1016/j.brainresbull.2011.04.002)
- Heuer, A., Smith, G. A., Lelos, M. J., Lane, E. L. and Dunnett, S. B. 2012. Unilateral nigrostriatal 6-hydroxydopamine lesions in mice I: Motor impairments identify extent of dopamine depletion at three different lesion sites. Behavioural Brain Research 228(1), pp. 30-43. (10.1016/j.bbr.2011.11.027)
- Lelos, M. J., Harrison, D. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2011. Impaired sensitivity to Pavlovian stimulus-outcome learning after excitotoxic lesion of the ventrolateral neostriatum. Behavioural Brain Research 225(2), pp. 522-528. (10.1016/j.bbr.2011.08.017)
- Thomas, R. S., Lelos, M. J., Good, M. A. and Kidd, E. J. 2011. Clathrin-mediated endocytic proteins are upregulated in the cortex of the Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease-like amyloid pathology. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 415(4), pp. 656-661. (10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.10.131)
- Lelos, M. J., Thomas, R. S., Kidd, E. J. and Good, M. A. 2011. Outcome-specific satiety reveals a deficit in context-outcome, but not stimulus-or action-outcome, associations in aged Tg2576 mice. Behavioral Neuroscience 125(3), pp. 412-425. (10.1037/a0023415)
- Lelos, M. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2011. Aberrant dopamine transmission and cognitive dysfunction in animal models of Parkinson's disease. Journal of Parkinson's Disease 1(2), pp. 151-165.
Book sections
- Jareno, P. G., Bartley, O., Precious, S., Rosser, A. and Lelos, M. 2022. Challenges in progressing cell therapies to the clinic for Huntington's disease: A review of the progress made with pluripotent stem cell derived medium spiny neurons. In: Lane, E. L., Drew, C. and Lelos, M. J. eds. International Review of Neurobiology: Current Challenges in Cell Therapy for Neurodegenerative Diseases., Vol. 166. Elsevier, pp. 1-48., (10.1016/bs.irn.2022.09.003)
- Lelos, M. J. 2022. Investigating cell therapies in animal models of Parkinson's and Huntington's disease: current challenges and considerations. In: Lane, E. L., Drew, C. and Lelos, M. J. eds. International Review of Neurobiology., Vol. 166. Elsevier, pp. 158-189., (10.1016/bs.irn.2022.09.005)
- Lelos, M. 2020. Overview of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and the role of protein aggregation in these neurodegenerative diseases. In: Salgado, A. J. ed. Handbook of Innovations in Central Nervous System Regenerative Medicine. Elsevier, pp. 29-53., (doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-818084-6.00002-7)
- Lelos, M. J. and Dunnett, S. B. 2018. Generating excitotoxic lesion models of Huntington’s Disease. In: Precious, S. V., Rosser, A. E. and Dunnett, S. B. eds. Huntington’s Disease. Methods in Molecular Biology New York, NY, USA:, pp. 209-220., (10.1007/978-1-4939-7825-0_11)
- Lelos, M. J., Dowd, E. and Dunnett, S. B. 2012. Nigral grafts in animal models of Parkinson's disease. Is recovery beyond motor function possible?. In: Progress in Brain Research., Vol. 200. Elsevier, pp. 113-142., (10.1016/B978-0-444-59575-1.00006-5)
- Dunnett, S. B. and Lelos, M. 2010. Behavioural analysis of motor and non-motor symptoms in rodent models of Parkinson’s disease. In: Progress in Brain Research., Vol. 184. Elsevier, pp. 35-51., (10.1016/S0079-6123(10)84003-8)
Thesis
- Lelos, M. J. 2010. Influence of beta-amyloid pathology on emotional learning and memory in the APPswe model of Alzheimer's disease. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.
Websites
- Casella, C. et al. 2023. Differences in white matter detected by ex vivo 9.4T MRI are associated with axonal changes in the R6/1 model of Huntington’s Disease. [Online]. BioRXiv: BioRXiv. (10.1101/2023.10.02.560424) Available at: https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.10.02.560424
Research
My lab focuses on understanding and treating neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. We are interested in understanding the manifestation of motor and non-motor (cognitive, neuropsychiatric) dysfunctions in degenerative diseases using lesion, viral vector and genetically modified rodent models. We are also investigating the ability of novel cell (hESC- and hiPSC-derived) and gene therapies to alleviate these impairments and optimising these treatments for clinical application.
Some current research questions that are being addressed include:
Can hPSC-derived dopamine grafts alleviate non-motor dysfunctions in Parkinson's disease?
Does neuroinflammation play a role in hPSC-derived dopmine graft-induced dyskinesias?
What is the impact of dopamine production from AAV vectors on striatal-dependent cognitive function?
Can we modulate gene expression to improve neurite outgrowth and synapse formation from hPSC-derived dopamine grafts?
Can hPSC-derived medium spiny neuron transplants form synaptic connections and alleviate non-motor dysfunctions in models of Huntingtons' disease?
Teaching
I am currently the Assessment Lead and a lecturer on the 3rd year module 'Neurobiology of Brain Disorders'.
I teach on the Cellular and Molecular Biology module at Master's level.
I run a week-long practical to teach histological and immunohistochemical assays and microscopy skills using rodent brain tissues.
I am a personal tutor for Neuroscience and Biomedical undergraduate students.
See a recent talk on my field:
- Lelos, M.J. (2022, January 31). Cell replacement therapy for neurodegenerative diseases [Video file]. In The Biomedical & Life Sciences Collection, Henry Stewart Talks. Retrieved March 22, 2022, from https://hstalks.com/bs/4882/.
Biography
My PhD (2005-2010, Prof M Good) investigated neural network dysfunction using mathematical modelling in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, with a particular focus on amyloid-induced dysfunction in the amydala and hippocampal formation.
My post-doctoral research (2010-2015, Prof S Dunnett) aimed to understand basal ganglia dysfunction in Parkinson's and Huntington's disease and to explore the use of human fetal and novel stem cell derived therapies to alleviate the behavioural impairments.
I was awarded a Senior Research Fellowship from Parkinson's UK (2015-2018) to investigate the ability of human stem cell derived cell therapy products to ameliorate cognitive impairments in rodent models of Parkinson's disease.
I have recently commenced a Senior Lectureship in the neuroscience department and my lab is exploring several new avenues. We are seeking to establish novel cell therapies to treat Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases, using novel DREADDs manipulations, undertaking PET/MR imaging and using rabies tracing technologies. We are also studying the impact of novel gene therapies on cellular function and on cognitive dysfunction.
Supervisions
I am keen to welcome new PhD students to the team with a particular interest in:
Parkinson's disease
Huntington's disease
Cognitive or neuropsychiatric dysfunctions
Cell therapies
Gene therapies
Current supervision
Feras Sharouf
Research student
Jiayu Hao
Research student
Rachel Hills
Research student
Demi Owen-Bowyer
Research student
Past projects
Previous PhD students:
Dr. Ellen Murphy: Effects of acute and chronic dopaminergic treatment on motor and non-motor function in the hemi-Parkinsonian rat
Dr. Susanne Clinch: Developing and evaluating behavioural tasks to assess basal ganglia function
Dr. Mengru Song: Does levodopa affect endogenous and exogenous dopaminergic neuron survival?
Dr. Charlotte Bridge: Investigating the role of dopamine in cognitive impairments in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease
Dr. Patricia Garcia Jareno: Investigation of the functional integration of hESC-derived grafts in Huntington's disease
Dr. Feras Sharouf: Optimising the delivery and survival of cell therapies in Huntington's disease
Dr. Rachel Spicer (nee Sellick): Analysis of genetic and protein interactions associated mutant huntingtin-induced degeneration
Previous MPhil students:
Rachel Hills (MPhil): Characterisation and comparison of patient-derived cell therapy products in a pre-clinical Parkinson’s disease model
Previous Master's students:
Ammar Alsulaimi: The effect of Proxison, a novel mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant, on the survival of transplanted dopamine neurons in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease
Daniel Dabbs: Immunohistochemical analysis of patient derived iPSCs for transplantation in Parkinson’s disease
Eldad Eradiri: Investigating the impact of donor tissue age and preparation on the survival and efficacy of pre-clinical human foetal striatal transplants
Emily Stonelake: Investigating the impact of human embryonic stem cell-derived dopaminergic grafts on non-motor function in a rodent model of Parkinson’s disease
Gareth Williams: Gene therapy for Parkinson's disease: the impact on cognitive impairments
Issac Mondon: White matter alterations in pre-symptomatic Huntington’s disease using R6/1 mice models
Jeremie Costales: Effects of Levodopa on the survival of transplanted human embryonic stem cell (hESC) grafts in 6-OHDA rats
Joanne Lachica: Dose response evaluation of a novel adeno-associated viral vector for dopamine replacement in a 6- hydroxydopamine model of Parkinson’s disease
Laura Clark: Characterising FoxP1 expression in the R6/1 and Q150 HD mouse models across time
Olivia Edwards: Immunohistochemical analysis of neuroglia in Parkinsonian rats transplanted with human dopamine cell
Phoebe Norton: Xav marks the spot: assessing the use of Wnt inhibition in cell therapy for Huntington’s disease
Demi Owen-Bowyer: Establishing biomarkers and safety thresholds for neural overgrowth and tumorigenesis in human embryonic stem cell derived medium spiny neurons
Contact Details
+44 29208 75541
Sir Martin Evans Building, Room Cardiff School of Biosciences, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX
Research themes
Specialisms
- Parkinson's disease
- Huntington's disease
- Cell therapies
- Gene therapies
- Cognition
