Neuroinflammation Research Group

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Dr. Graham Sheridan

Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, University of Nottingham.

Professional Biography: Dr. Sheridan obtained a PhD in Pharmacology from University College Dublin, where he studied how glial cell-derived cytokines modulate hippocampal synaptic plasticity and memory formation. He then accepted a research associate position in EMBL (Rome) to study novel pharmaco-genetic techniques to silence neural networks in the brain.

Sheridan's next career move was to Trinity College Dublin as a Postdoctoral Fellow. His research focused on better understanding the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis, the most common demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS). To this aim, he developed and refined ex vivo 3D slice culture methods to test drugs for their ability to promote myelin repair in the brain.

Dr. Sheridan completed his postdoctoral training phase in the interdisciplinary field of neuro-mechanobiology at the University of Cambridge where he developed novel methods to investigate the role of mechanosensory ion channel receptors in axon guidance during brain development and in neural regeneration post-spinal cord injury.

Sheridan was then appointed Lecturer of Pharmacology in the University of Brighton. He has since moved his laboratory to the University of Nottingham in 2019 where he leads an interdisciplinary team of researchers working at the interface of Neurophysiology and Biomedical Engineering.

Mission Statement: "My research group is particularly interested in identifying novel drug targets for neuroprotection and myelin repair in the brain. We also collaborate with experts in biomaterials and mechanobiology to develop new methods to enhance the functional recovery and synaptic plasticity of ageing or damaged CNS tissue."

Sheridan’s diverse background in pharmacology, neurophysiology and biophysics is a distinct advantage when it comes to addressing complex problems in neuroscience research. His bioengineering training in Cambridge also drives the development of novel methods which his research team leverage to investigate the molecular mechanisms that regulate important physiological processes including neurogenesis, myelination, and synaptic plasticity, in both development and in the ageing brain.

Vision: Dr. Sheridan’s goal is to better understand the aetiology of currently incurable disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer-related cognitive impairment. His long-term ambition is to identify and develop novel therapeutics to enhance the quality of life of people living with these diseases.

Research Focus Areas: At present, there are 3 main themes that the Neuroinflammation Research Group are working on:

1) How the mechanical properties of neurons, glia, and extracellular matrix (ECM) change in the ageing Alzheimer’s disease hippocampus and the impact of altered tissue mechanics on synaptic plasticity.

2) Exploring the potential of animal venom peptides as novel therapeutics for neuroprotection and myelin repair, with a focus on the role of mechanosensitive ion channels in CNS re-myelination.

3) Studying the effects of cancer on the structure and function of CNS glial cells and neuronal synapses, with a focus on identifying molecular mechanisms underlying ‘cancer-related cognitive impairment’.

By understanding how ageing and cancer-induced dysregulations of the immune system trigger maladaptive changes in synaptic plasticity in the brain, the team hope to identify molecular drug targets and develop novel therapeutics to treat a range of cognitive and mental health disorders.

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