Kathryn Todd

Kathryn Todd

Dopaminergic Circuit Function, Metabolism, and Selective Vulnerability

Kathryn is currently a Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Cragg Lab at the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at the University of Oxford, where she is investigating neuromodulation of striatal dopamine in health and Parkinson’s. Kathryn completed her PhD (2020) in the Freestone group at the Department of Physiology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Her PhD research focussed on a novel dopamine pathway from the substantia nigra pars lateralis to the tail of the striatum, and its modulation by the subthalamic nucleus. This research was continued during her position as a postdoctoral research fellow (2021 – 2022) at the University of Auckland.

Tags
Alpha-synucleinGBA (Glucocerebrosidase)

Home Team

Team Cragg

Host Team

Team Dombeck

Project Highlights

Dopamine release from Parkinson’s patient-derived neurons is disrupted due to impaired synaptic vesicle loading

Striatal dopamine release defects are an early pathological feature observed in diverse models of Parkinson’s disease. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible, and potential links to disease aetiology in humans, have been elusive. Here, we tested the hypothesis that dopamine release deficits are a characteristic feature of disease-relevant human neurons,...

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