The University of Sheffield
Department of Neuroscience

Professor Mimoun Azzouz

Chair of Translational Neuroscience

ERC Advanced Investigator

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Academic Neurology Unit
Department of Neuroscience
Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience
University of Sheffield
Room B31
385a Glossop Road
Sheffield
S10 2HQ

Telephone: +44 (0)114 2222238
Email: m.azzouz@sheffield.ac.uk

Secretary: Rebecca Brown
Telephone: +44 (0)114 2222261
Email: rebecca.brown@sheffield.ac.uk

Education & Training

Professional Activities

Collaborations

Research

Professor Azzouz has a long-standing interest in developing gene therapy approaches for neurodegenerative diseases. Azzouz’ team utilises viral based gene transfer systems both for research and gene therapy applications. Such viral systems have included lentiviruses and adeno-associated vectors. His research focuses on developing new therapeutic strategies for motor neuron diseases (ALS and SMA) and Parkinson’s disease. He also collaborates with other groups looking at new experimental approaches to treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Members of the team are also investigating molecular pathways and signalling of motor neuron death associated with ALS and SMA.

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Professor Azzouz has an excellent publication track record. He published papers in high profile and prestigious journals such as Nature, Nature Medicine, Nature Neuroscience, Science Translational Medicine. Azzouz has led the field internationally in developing and evaluating gene therapy approaches using viral vectors, with the potential for exciting new therapeutic approaches in neurodegenerative diseases. Gene therapy in models of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is already translating into human clinical trials and a new SMN replacement strategy is currently entering clinical development for SMA patients.
He has been successful in attracting an array of scientific awards including the prestigious ERC Advanced Investigator Award. This award is a top level EU ad hominem award acknowledging his pre-eminence in European biomedical research. Professor Azzouz is advisor for pharmaceutical companies (BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc, Oxford BioMedica Ltd). He is member of scientific advisory panel for various funding bodies such as the Medical Research Council (MRC), the French Muscular Dystrophy Association and The Research Council of Norway.

Principal Funding Sources

Members of Research Group

Selected publications

Kirby J., Ning K., Ferraiuolo L., Heath P.R., Ismail A., Kuo S-W., Cox L., Sharrack B., Wharton S.B., Ince P.G., Shaw PJ., Azzouz M. PTEN/Akt pathway linked to motor neuron survival in human SOD1-related amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain, 134(Pt 2):506-17 (2011).

C. F. Valori, K. Ning, M. Wyles, R. J. Mead, A. J. Grierson, P. J. Shaw, M. Azzouz, Systemic delivery of scAAV9 expressing SMN prolongs survival in a model of spinal muscular atrophy . Sci.Transl. Med. 2, 35ra42 (2010). Abstract: Reprint: Full Text:

Ning K, Drepper C, Valori C, Wyles M, Higginbottom A, Shaw P, Azzouz M*, Sendtner M*. PTEN depletion rescues axonal growth defect and improve survival in SMN-deficient motor neurons. Human Molecular Genetics, 19 (16):3159-68 (2010)(* joint senior authors).

Jarraya B, Drouot X, Brouillet E, Condé F, Azzouz M, Kingsman SM, Hantraye P, Mazarakis ND & Palfi S. Dopamine Gene Therapy for Parkinson´s Disease in a Nonhuman Primate Without Associated Dyskinesia. Sci. Transl Med. 1 (2):2ra4. (2009)

Wong LF,. Yip PK, Battaglia A, Grist J, Corcoran J, Maden M, Azzouz M, Kingsman SM, Kingsman AJ, Mazarakis ND and McMahon SB. Retinoic acid receptor β 2 promotes functional regeneration of sensory axons into the adult rat spinal cord. Nature Neuroscience, 9(2):243-250 (2006)

Ralph GS, Radcliffe PA, Bilsland L, Leroux MA, Greensmith L, Mitrophanous KA, Kingsman SM, Mazarakis ND, & Azzouz M
Silencing of mutant SOD1 using interfering RNA induces long term reversal of ALS in a transgenic mouse model. Nature Medicine, 11(4):429-33 (2005)

Ralph GS, Mazarakis ND & Azzouz M. Therapeutic gene silencing in neurodegenerative disease using interfering RNA. Journal of Molecular Medicine, 83(6):413-9 (2005)

Teng Q, Garrity-Moses M, Tanase D, Liu JK, Mazarakis ND, Azzouz M, & Boulis NM. Trophic activity of rabies G protein pseudotyped EIAV mediated IGF-I motor neuron gene transfer in vitro. Neurobiology of Disease, 20: 694-700 (2005)

Dowd E, Monville C, Torres E, Azzouz M, Mazarakis ND, Dunnett SB. The neurotrophic capabilty of letivector-mediated expression of GDNF: funtional assessment using a complex operant lateralised nose-poking task. EJN, 22: 2587-2595 (2005)

Azzouz M, Ralph GS , Storkebaum E, Walmsley L, Mitrophanous KA, Kingsman SM, Carmeliet P, & Mazarakis ND. VEGF delivery with retrogradely transported lentivector prolongs survival in a mouse ALS model. Nature, 429: 413-417 (2004).

Azzouz M, Le T, Walmsley L., Monani U., Wilkes F, Mitrophanous KA, Kingsman SM, Burghes A, & Mazarakis ND. LentiVector-Mediated SMN Replacement in a Mouse Model of spinal Muscular Atrophy. The Journal Clinical Investigation 114: 1726-1731 (2004).

Azzouz M, Martin-Rendon E, Barber RD, Mitrophanous KA, Carter EE, Rohll JB, Kingsman SM, Kingsman AJ, and Mazarakis ND. Multicistronic Lentiviral Vector-Mediated Striatal Gene Transfer of Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase, Tyrosine Hydroxylase and GTP Cyclohydrolase I Induces Sustained Transgene Expression, Dopamine Production and Functional Improvement in a Rat Model of Parkinson´s Disease. The Journal of Neuroscience 22:10302-10312 (2002).

Mazarakis ND, Azzouz M, Rohll JB, Ellard FM, Olsen A , Carter EE, Barber R, O´Malley K, Kingsman SM, AJ Kingsman, and Mitrophanous KA. Rabies-G envelope pseudotyping of lentiviral vectors enables retrograde axonal transport and access to the nervous system after peripheral delivery. Human Molecular Genetics 10: 2109-2121 (2001).

Azzouz M, Hottinger A, Zurn A, Aebischer P, and Bueler H. Increased motoneuron survival and improved neuromuscular function in transgenic ALS mice after intraspinal injection of an adeno-associated virus encoding Bcl-2. Human Molecular Genetics 9: 801-811 (2000).