Christopher Edward Dennistoun Shaw

Christopher Edward Dennistoun Shaw is Professor of Neurology at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, where he has served since 1995. He currently directs the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neurosciences Institute and maintains an active role as Honorary Consultant Neurologist at King's College Hospital. Previously, he served as Head of the Department of Clinical Neuroscience (2007-2011) and Director of the MRC Centre for Neurodegeneration Research (2009-2012).

Shaw pioneered groundbreaking research into the genetic etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), with his laboratory discovering more ALS genes than any other research group worldwide. His team identified the ALS-FTD2 locus leading to C9orf72 mutation discovery, characterized pathological features of multiple genetic forms of ALS/FTD, and established the MNDA DNA bank with 1,200 ALS cases and 600 controls. Current research focuses on developing AAV vector gene therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, with Shaw serving as lead founder of a gene therapy company attracting substantial investment.

• Neurodegenerative disease mechanisms
• Genetic causes of ALS and FTD
• RNA processing dysregulation
• Translational gene therapy approaches
• Diagnostic and predictive genetic testing

Shaw has received numerous prestigious awards including the Sheila Essey Prize for ALS Research and the Forbes Norris Award. He has advised UK Prime Ministers Brown and Blair on ALS research at 10 Downing Street and spoken before the House of Commons Committee on Hybrid Embryos.

As a clinician-scientist, Shaw maintains active patient care through an ALS clinic while leading multiple clinical trials. He successfully spearheaded initiatives raising £50 million to build the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, plus additional £20 million for research infrastructure and the UK Dementia Research Institute at King's.