Ryan West

Dr. Ryan West is a Senior Fellow and Dementia Research Leader Fellow at the University of Sheffield's Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN). Affiliated with the School of Medicine and Population Health, he specializes in using Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies) to study neurodegenerative diseases such as Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), Motor Neurone Disease (MND), and Parkinson’s Disease. His research focuses on molecular mechanisms linked to the C9orf72 gene’s hexanucleotide expansions and gene-environment interactions.

• PhD from the University of York (2010–2013)
• Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of York (2015–2018)
• Alzheimer’s Society Fellowships (2019–2025)

His laboratory develops translational pipelines integrating Drosophila models and patient-derived systems for drug screening. Key publications include studies on C9orf72 dipeptide repeats, CHMP2B toxicity, and neuroprotective agents like ursodeoxycholic acid. Awards include Alzheimer’s Society Fellowships and a Wellcome Trust 'Discipline Hopping' Fellowship.

Current funding sources include the Alzheimer’s Society, MRC, and industry partnerships. The West Lab collaborates with academic and industry groups to advance therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.