Professor Karen Anthony

Karen studied biochemistry at the University of Leeds spending one year as a sandwich student at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Essex.  At GSK Karen experienced the drug discovery process through performing large-scale purifications of protein drug targets.  Developing a strong interest in neurodegeneration Karen joined the lab of Dr Jean-Marc Gallo at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London.  Her PhD “tau RNA processing in neurodegeneration: trans-acting factors regulating alternative splicing and mRNA localisation” was awarded in 2009.  As a post-doc in Dr Gallo’s lab Karen established proof-of-concept for RNA reprogramming strategies including RNA trans-splicing therapies for spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and the tauopathies.  In 2010 Karen successfully translated her RNA expertise to the neuromuscular field and moved to the Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Institute of Child Health, University College London (UCL).  Working with Professor Francesco Muntoni, Karen played a key role in developing antisense oligonucleotide-mediated exon skipping as a therapeutic strategy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).  Her pre-clinical and clinical work in this area culminated in the first FDA-approved drug for DMD.  In 2015 Karen attained a lectureship at the University of Northampton where she founded and leads the Molecular Biosciences Research Group.  Her laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms of neurological disorders with a focus on the neuropathophysiology of DMD.  Karen also consults for international pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies on methodology for clinical trial biochemical outcome measures and the development of exon skipping therapies.

Karen’s research is focused on RNA processing and the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration and neuromuscular disorders.  Current research projects and interests include:

-Neuropathophysiology of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

-The role of the DMD gene in cancer

-RNA processing of the dystrophin gene

-Therapeutic targeting of dystrophin in the brain

-RNA processing in neurodegeneration

-RNA-based gene therapy/therapeutics

Amanda Ash; Sports, Exercise and Life Science

Cell migration in the neuropathophysiology of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Michael Naidoo; Sports, Exercise and Life Science

Undergraduate teaching:

Karen teaches across the BSc (Hons) in Human Bioscience, Biomedical Science Biology programmes:

Module Leader:

• SLS1017: Science Communication
• SLS3010: Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience
• SLS4005: Human Bioscience Dissertation

Teaching on other modules:

• SLS2001: Genes and Genomics
• SLS2010: Health and Disease 2
• SLS2013: Bioscience Research Methods
• SLS3002: Integrated Medical Genetics

Postgraduate teaching (taught programmes) 

• MSc in Molecular Bioscience