Dr. Steven Grey

Associate Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Gray's core research focus is to develop adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene transfer vector systems, for clinically-relevant global gene transfer to the central and peripheral nervous system.

Dr. Xin Chen

Is the lead under Dr. Grey’s team working on Genetic Therapy for SPG50

Professor Margaret  (Scottie) Robinson

Principal Investigator, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. Prof Robinson has worked on identifying and characterizing adaptor protein complexes for 30 years.

Dr. Jennifer Hirst

Principal Research Associate, Robinson lab, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. Dr. Hirst is a cell biologist who discovered the AP-4 and AP-5 adaptor complexes and has been studying functionality and the link with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia.

Dr. Alexandria Davies

Is focused on studying the AP-4 adaptor complex using CRISPR CAS9 and other tools. Her PhD research has been focused on the function of the AP-4 complex, particularly the cellular consequences of losing AP-4 and how this may lead to the severe neuropathology associated with AP-4 deficiency

Dr. Darius Ebrahimi-Fakhari

Works at the Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital. His group does research in Neurology, Neuroscience, and Cell Biology. Current projects include "Development Of An In Vitro Model Of SPG47/50/51 & 52-Associated Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Using Patient iPSC-Derived Neurons To Support Unbiased Screening Of Novel Therapeutic Approaches To Treatment", and "An International Registry and Natural History Study For AP-4-associated Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia".

Dr. Colin Ross

Works on incorporate genomics into guiding, optimizing, and developing novel therapeutics to improve the safety and effectiveness of medications. He developed a novel gene-delivery treatment for LPL Deficiency that received regulatory approval. One of the projects his team will be taking on is developing nanomedicine strategies to treat genetic diseases affecting the brain.

Dr. Sean Ekins

CEO of Collaboration Pharmaceuticals offers drug discovery skills tailored to rare and neglected diseases. 

Dr. Sotirios Kampranis

Works in the area of Synthetic Biology/Metabolic Engineering, aiming to devise methods to produce high-value natural products in engineered organisms. He is a close family friend and has been helping cure Michael since day 1.

Dr. Cathleen (Cat) Lutz

Is the Director of the Mouse Repository and the Rare and Orphan Disease Center at The Jackson Laboratory. She has fiscal and managerial oversight of a growing collection of more than 8,500 unique strains, including over 1,700 live colonies for distribution to the scientific community. As part of the Mouse Repository program, Dr. Lutz is the Principal Investigator on a number of NIH-sponsored resource grants, including the Mutant Mouse Regional and Research Center at JAX. Dr. Lutz also serves as the Director of In Vivo Pharmacology and Efficacy Testing Program in Bar Harbor, which interfaces with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to pursue novel therapeutics across a variety of therapeutic areas

Dr. Saamir Zuberi

Leads the Rare and Orphan Disease mouse model development portfolio and has managed the completion of over 200 new mouse models in the last five years using CRISPR/Cas9, Embryonic stem cell and transgenic strategies.