Gabriel Balmus

Dr. Gabriel Balmus is a Group Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge, focusing on the critical roles of DNA Damage Repair (DDR) in mature neurons and its implications for neurodegenerative disorders and ageing. His lab employs advanced tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 screens and mouse models of disease to explore how neurons manage endogenous genotoxic stresses and how failures in DDR contribute to pathologies like Alzheimer's and Huntington's Disease.

• Key Research Areas:
  • DNA Damage Repair mechanisms in neurons
  • Neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's, Huntington's, ALS/FTD)
  • Ageing-related genomic instability
  • CRISPR-Cas9 applications in neuroscience
  • Mouse models of neurodegeneration
• Notable Contributions:
  • Investigations into FAN1 and MLH1 interactions in CAG repeat expansion
  • Studies on mitochondrial complex I activity in neuroinflammation
  • Development of strategies to target DDR pathways for neuroprotection