Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) Professors and Supervisors

Rasmus RydbirkView profile

Researcher

University of Southern DenmarkDenmark

Rasmus Rydbirk is an Academic staff member at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at University of Southern Denmark, with additional affiliations at Functional Genomic Studies and Metabolism and ATLAS - Center for Functional Genomic Studies of Tissue Plasticity. He maintains an active research profile with publications spanning neuroscience, proteomics, and molecular biology. Dr. Rydbirk's research primarily focuses on Multiple System Atrophy (MSA), a rare neurodegenerative disorder, with additional work in proteome analysis and epigenetic mechanisms. His fingerprint analysis reveals strong expertise in Neuroscience (100% for Multiple System Atrophy), Proteome analysis (50%), Shy-Drager Syndrome (50%), and specialized knowledge in Fibrinogen, Light Chain, Blood Plasma, 5-Methylcytosine, and Cerebrospinal Fluid research. His recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory in neurodegenerative disease research, particularly MSA, with a methodological emphasis on advanced proteomics and epigenetic analysis. The 2024 Nature Biotechnology paper indicates significant contributions to mass spectrometry technology, while his neuroscience work shows consistent focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying MSA pathology. Dr. Rydbirk maintains active research collaborations internationally, as indicated by the country/region level collaboration map showing connections across multiple continents. His work has garnered substantial academic attention with over 100 citations for his Nature Biotechnology paper alone.

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Nigel LeighView profile

Professor

University of SussexUnited Kingdom

Professor Nigel Leigh is a Professor (Honorary Consultant) in Clinical Neurology at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex. He is a leading expert in clinical neuroscience, with a focus on neurodegenerative disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and corticobasal syndrome (CBS). MB BS, PhD – University of London, United Kingdom, 1970 Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci) – 2003 His research spans clinical neurology, neuroimaging, biomarker discovery, and neuroinflammation. He investigates the pathophysiology of motor neuron diseases and atypical parkinsonian syndromes, aiming to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. His work integrates advanced imaging techniques, genetic analysis, and fluid biomarkers to understand disease mechanisms and progression. The recent publications highlight a strong focus on α-synuclein seed amplification assays for Parkinson’s and atypical parkinsonism, neurofilament light as a prognostic marker, neuroimaging of atrophy patterns, and immunomodulatory therapies like low-dose IL-2 in ALS. His research frequently employs longitudinal cohort studies, clinical trials, and multi-omics approaches, reflecting a translational neuroscience strategy. Scientific Awards: Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci), 2003 Professor Leigh has been a principal investigator on numerous research grants, including the MIROCALS trial on low-dose IL-2 for ALS, funded by the Motor Neurone Disease Association and the European Union. He has also led projects on non-coding RNA biomarkers, neuroimaging in MND, and the creation of national DNA repositories, supported by the Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council. While no students are listed, his collaborations span multiple institutions and involve large multi-center studies. He is actively involved in building research infrastructure, including the Sussex Motor Neurone Disease Care and Research Network and the London Brain Bank. His work continues to shape clinical trial design and biomarker development in neurodegenerative diseases.

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Michael SchlossmacherView profile

Professor

University of OttawaCanada

Michael Schlossmacher is a Professor at the University of Ottawa, Faculty of Medicine , and serves as Director & Senior Scientist of the Neuroscience Program at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute (OHRI) . With clinical training in Neurology and Psychiatry (DABPN, FRCPC), his work bridges patient care and laboratory research. Research interests focus on Parkinson’s disease (PD) , Lewy body dementia (DLB) , and multiple system atrophy (MSA) , particularly studying Alpha-synuclein , GBA1 , LRRK2 , and Parkin genes. His team develops animal models of neuropathology and created the PREDIGT Score for early PD risk assessment. Recent publications analyze alpha-synuclein biomarkers , GBA1-LRRK2 interactions , and parkin’s redox regulation , spanning 2011-2022 . Collaborative work connects neuroimmunology and genetic risk factors in parkinsonism. Scientific Award: Annals of Neurology Prize (2012) for work on GBA1-Parkinson’s disease links His interdisciplinary Schlossmacher Lab combines neuroscience , biochemistry , immunology , and pathology to model neurodegenerative disease mechanisms.

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Kelly BertramView profile

Research Fellow

Monash UniversityAustralia

Kelly Bertram is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Neuroscience at Monash University and a Clinical Neurologist at Alfred Hospital. Specializing in Movement Disorders, their research focuses on Parkinson's disease, Atypical Parkinsonism (including Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Multiple System Atrophy), and Dystonia. They contribute to UN Sustainable Development Goals through neurodegenerative disease research. Education: MBBS from the University of Melbourne. Current projects include clinical trials for treatments targeting Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 2, Parkinson’s disease symptom management, and disease-modifying therapies for PSP. Recent work includes developing diagnostic protocols for atypical parkinsonian syndromes and investigating non-invasive brain stimulation effects on cognitive function in Parkinson’s patients. No scientific awards are explicitly listed in the provided text. Advising and grants: Lead investigator in multiple clinical trials and research projects since 2016, including sodium selenate trials and drug efficacy studies. Collaborates widely on neurodegenerative disease research. Labs/teams: Affiliated with Monash University’s Movement Disorders research group, contributing to translational studies and clinical protocols.

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Christian Johannes AmlangView profile

Assistant Professor

SUNY Downstate Medical CenterUnited States

Christian Johannes Amlang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and an Attending Physician specializing in Movement Disorders. Born in Dresden, Germany, he received medical training at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Université Paris-Descartes, and Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris. His clinical and research focus centers on functional movement disorders and their intersections with neurology and psychiatry. Education: Medical School at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Université Paris-Descartes, and Université Pierre et Marie Curie. Training: Internship at Jacobi Medical Center, Residency at Yale New Haven Hospital, Fellowship at Columbia University. Dr. Amlang specializes in diagnosing and treating complex movement disorders, including ataxia, Parkinsonism variants (progressive supranuclear palsy, multiple system atrophy, corticobasal degeneration), Huntington’s disease, dystonia (e.g., cervical dystonia, blepharospasm), hemifacial spasm, tardive dyskinesias, tics, and essential tremor. He is actively collaborating with medical professionals in New York City to establish a multidisciplinary clinic for functional neurologic disorders. His research interests align with his clinical expertise, emphasizing functional neurologic disorders and improving patient quality of life through integrative care. Dr. Amlang also administers botulinum toxin injections for movement disorder treatments. Clinical Interests Functional Movement Disorder Ataxia Atypical Parkinsonism (PSP, MSA, CBD) Huntington’s Disease Dystonia (Cervical, Blepharospasm) Hemifacial Spasm Parkinson’s Disease Tardive Dyskinesia Tics Essential Tremor Practice Locations Maimonides Medical Center Kings County Hospital Dr. Amlang combines his passion for neurology with a commitment to holistic patient care, supported by his global training across Germany, France, Ireland, and the United States.

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Woojin KimView profile

Associate Professor

University of SydneyAustralia

Associate Professor Woojin Kim is a Principal Research Fellow at the University of Sydney, focusing on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly dementia and motor syndromes. He has held academic roles at UNSW Sydney, Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA), and Harvard Medical School. His research emphasizes lipidomics, ABCA transporters, and biomarker development for diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and frontotemporal dementia. Education: PhD in Neuroscience from UNSW Sydney Research Interests: Biomarker discovery and validation Lipid metabolism in neurodegeneration Role of ABCA transporters in disease pathogenesis Preclinical models of synucleinopathies Grants and Projects: Common and uncommon lipid dysregulation pathways in MSA and PD brain (Defeat MSA Alliance) Are oligodendrocytes the real source of pathologic alpha-synuclein in MSA? (Defeat MSA Australia and New Zealand) Lipidomics analysis in LRRK2-associated Parkinson’s (Michael J. Fox Foundation) Key Contributions: Developed ForeFront biomarker program for neurodegenerative diseases Published 118+ peer-reviewed articles in journals like Nature Communications , Brain , and Acta Neuropathologica Leading initiatives on blood-based biomarkers for early disease detection Affiliations: Member of the Centre for Drug Discovery Innovation Member of the Brain and Mind Centre

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Bryan KillingerView profile

Assistant Professor

Rush UniversityUnited States

Bryan Killinger is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Movement Disorders at Rush University's Rush Medical College in Chicago. His work focuses on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy, with an emphasis on alpha-synuclein aggregation mechanisms, molecular pathology, and disease progression pathways. His research integrates proteomics, epigenetics, and experimental models to understand synucleinopathies. Key research interests include the role of alpha-synuclein phosphorylation, the impact of olfactory bulb mitral cells in synucleinopathy onset, and the interplay between gut microbiota and Parkinson's pathology. He has published extensively on topics such as Lewy pathology molecular interactions, autophagy-lysosomal dysfunction, and the appendix's role in PD risk. Recent studies highlight his exploration of alpha-synuclein interactome differences between MSA and Parkinson's, phosphatase-resistant aggregates, and fibril seeding efficacy across murine models. Collaborations with co-authors like Jeffrey Kordower and Viviane Labrie have advanced understanding of disease mechanisms at the molecular and cellular levels.

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Rowan RadfordView profile

Researcher

Macquarie UniversityAustralia

Rowan Radford is a Researcher at the Macquarie Medical School , affiliated with the Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre at Macquarie University. His work focuses on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) , Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) , and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) . He employs molecular biology, proteomics, and zebrafish models to study proteinopathies like TDP-43 and Tau aggregation. Current Roles : Research Assistant, Macquarie Medical School; Professional Casual in Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) - Office Key Research Outputs : 24 total publications (2014–2025), including high-impact work on TDP-43 phase separation and microglia diversity Metrics : h-index 12, 787 citations (Scopus), 163 citations for 2022 review on microglia His research explores: Protein Aggregation Dynamics : Role of lysine residues in TDP-43 pathology, RNA-binding regulation of protein homeostasis Neuroimmune Mechanisms : Microglia morphophysiological diversity in CNS Tau Protein Networks : Interactors in PSP related to protein degradation and neurotransmission Synucleinopathies : Alpha-synuclein aggregation in MSA Recent publications (2022–2025) analyze: TDP-43 condensate formation Tau-phosphorylation interactions Microglia functional heterogeneity Alpha-synuclein inclusion bodies Protein degradation pathways in neurodegeneration CNS metabolic dysregulation Key collaborations with researchers like Lee, Chung, and Morsch across neuroscience and molecular biology disciplines. His work has been referenced in Wikipedia and picked up by multiple news outlets.

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Amanda LewisView profile

Researcher

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in LausanneSwitzerland

Amanda Lewis is a current researcher at the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), affiliated with the LBEM unit within the School of Life Sciences. Her work focuses on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly synucleinopathies like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. She specializes in correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) to study protein aggregation and cellular ultrastructure. Key contributions include optimizing CLEM protocols for human brain and skin tissues, elucidating tau pathology maturation stages in Alzheimer’s, and analyzing α-synuclein fibril structures linked to Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). Her doctoral thesis (2025) explored ultrastructural changes in synucleinopathies using CLEM, revealing novel insights into MSA pathology and peripheral biomarker potential. Lewis collaborates with institutions like Amsterdam UMC and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, leveraging interdisciplinary approaches to advance disease modeling and therapeutic development. Her research emphasizes translational applications, such as iPSC-derived models for studying protein inclusions and drug testing. Funding sources include the Aligning Science Across Parkinson’s Initiative and the Basque Biobank. Lewis’s work bridges basic science and clinical relevance, addressing urgent needs in diagnostics and disease mechanism understanding.

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Thomas KlockgetherView profile

Professor

Helmholtz Association of German Research CentersGermany

Professor Thomas Klockgether is a leading researcher at the University of Bonn Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology, focusing on spinocerebellar ataxias and movement disorders. His work bridges clinical neurology with advanced data-driven methodologies to improve understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative conditions. His research spans five major interconnected areas: Digital assessment of movement disorders through tools like SARAhome, a video-based ataxia assessment system applied by patients at home Development of MRI biomarkers, including ultra-high field imaging and CerebNet (an AI-based cerebellum segmentation method) Patient-reported outcomes via the PROFA project's e-health app collecting real-time health economic and psychosocial data Data-driven staging models for SCA3 that identify pre-symptomatic biomarker changes occurring more than 10 years before ataxia onset Natural history studies of sporadic ataxias through the SPORTAX registry with over 500 participants Professor Klockgether leads multiple international research initiatives including the JPND-funded SCAIFIELD and ESMI projects, and the EJP RD-funded PROFA project. His groundbreaking work demonstrating that brain and spinal cord tissue loss begins more than a decade before symptom onset in SCA3 mutation carriers has significant implications for preventive therapeutic interventions. His research program aims to establish objective digital and imaging biomarkers that can serve as endpoints in future clinical trials for ataxia treatments. His laboratory develops innovative approaches to overcome limitations of conventional clinical assessment scales, particularly through AI-based automatic scoring methods for gait and speech analysis. The SPORTAX registry provides critical data on differential progression patterns between multiple system atrophy (MSA) and sporadic adult-onset ataxia of unknown etiology (SAOA).

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