Caroline Vance

Dr. Caroline Vance is a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Neuroscience at King’s College London, affiliated with the School of Neuroscience and the Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience. Her research focuses on RNA binding proteins in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ALS and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), with emphasis on FET proteins (FUS, EWS, TAF15). She uses biochemical techniques and super-resolution microscopy in cell, zebrafish, and mouse models to study disease mechanisms. She also serves as Senior Personal Tutor for PhD students, ensuring their well-being, and leads education modules in the MSc Clinical Neuroscience and BSc Psychology/Neuroscience programs.

Key collaborators include Dr. Jacqueline Mitchell (King’s), Dr. Marc-David Ruepp (King’s), and Prof. Ludo van den Bosch (University of Leuven). Her research group, VanceLabKCL, investigates FUS mutations and their role in disease pathogenesis. Notable findings include identifying FUS mutations as causes of ALS and FTD, and demonstrating how mutant FUS disrupts nuclear localization and forms cytoplasmic stress granules.

Publications span 15 years, with recent work on SOD1 maturation in ALS spinal cord, co-deposition of proteinopathies in ALS, and genetic discoveries linking Optineurin and SPTLC1 mutations to ALS. Her lab also explores antisense oligonucleotide therapies and mitochondrial dysfunction in disease models.