Sarah Guthrie

Professor Sarah Guthrie holds the position of Professor of Developmental Neuroscience at the University of Sussex's School of Life Sciences. She joined Sussex in 2016, previously serving as Deputy Head (2016–2017) and Head (2017–2023) of the School. Prior to this, she spent 25 years at King's College London, where she began as a Lecturer in Neuroanatomy and later led the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology. Her research focuses on motor neuron development, axon guidance mechanisms, and cranial nerve disorders like Duane syndrome. She has pioneered studies on Semaphorin signaling, alpha2-chimaerin pathways, and the genetic basis of eye movement disorders.

Education: MA (University of Cambridge, 1979–1982), PhD (University College London, 1982–1985). Postdoctoral work at Scripps Clinic (San Diego). Teaching expertise spans neuroanatomy, developmental neurobiology, and neuroscience education. She chairs Sussex's Gender Equality Steering Group and contributed to Athena SWAN initiatives at King's College.

Research Grants: MRC-funded projects on alpha2-chimaerin signaling (2016–2018), NERC grants for interdisciplinary environmental solutions (2022–2023). Active in neurodevelopmental disorder research, with a focus on axon guidance defects and neurodegenerative processes. Her work bridges basic science and clinical applications, particularly in understanding motor neuron diseases.

Current teaching includes the Neurobiology of Brain Disorders module (C7122). Her lab investigates neuronal migration, cadherin regulation, and signaling pathways in neural circuit formation. Collaborative efforts address translational aspects of developmental neuroscience for clinical relevance.