Dr Kurt De Vos

Lecturer in Translational Neuroscience

Department of Neuroscience
Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience
& Centre for Membrane Interactions and Dynamics
University of Sheffield
Room B28
385a Glossop Road
Sheffield
S10 2HQ

Tel: +44 (0)114 2222241
Email: k.de_vos@sheffield.ac.uk

Biography

• 2011-present Lecturer in Translational Neuroscience
• 2006-2011 Senior Researcher, MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research, The Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, London, UK.
• 2004-2006 Postdoctoral Researcher, Academic Unit of Neurology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
• 2003-2004 Postdoctoral Researcher/Visiting Scientist, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
• 2000-2003 Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, USA.
• 1994-1999 PhD in Science: Biotechnology (Greatest distinction), University of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium

Research Interests

Research in my laboratory focuses on the molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in motor neurone disease (MND) and Parkinson’s disease. We are especially interested in

• The biology of physical contacts between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria and their involvement in disease.
• The mechanisms causing deregulation of axonal transport of mitochondria in ALS and Parkinson’s disease.
• The cellular roles of C9ORF72 protein and their role in ALS

Research Group

• Chris Webster (PhD Student)
• Natalie Rounding (PhD Student)
• Annekathrin Moeller (Postdoctoral Research Associate)
• Emma Smith (Research Technician)

Funding Sources

• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• Thierry Latran foundation
• UK Motor Neurone Disease Association
• Moody endowment fund

Key Publications

1. De Vos, K.J., Morotz, G.M., Stoica, R., Tudor, E.L., Lau, K.F., Ackerley, S., Warley, A., Shaw, C.E., and Miller, C.C. (2012). VAPB interacts with the mitochondrial protein PTPIP51 to regulate calcium homeostasis. Hum Mol Genet 21, 1299-1311.
2. Morotz, G.M., De Vos, K.J., Vagnoni, A., Ackerley, S., Shaw, C.E., and Miller, C.C. (2012). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated mutant VAPBP56S perturbs calcium homeostasis to disrupt axonal transport of mitochondria. Hum Mol Genet 21, 1979-1988.
3. Vance, C., Rogelj, B., Hortobagyi, T., De Vos, K.J., Nishimura, A.L., Sreedharan, J., Hu, X., Smith, B., Ruddy, D., Wright, P., et al. (2009). Mutations in FUS, an RNA Processing Protein, Cause Familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Type 6. Science 323, 1208-1211.
4. De Vos, K.J., Grierson, A.J., Ackerley, S., and Miller, C.C.J. (2008). Role of axonal transport in neurodegenerative diseases. Annu Rev Neurosci 31, 151-173.
5. De Vos, K.J., Chapman, A.L., Tennant, M.E., Manser, C., Tudor, E.L., Lau, K.F., Brownlees, J., Ackerley, S., Shaw, P.J., McLoughlin, D.M., et al. (2007). Familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-linked SOD1 mutants perturb fast axonal transport to reduce axonal mitochondria content. Hum Mol Genet 16, 2720-2728.