Tilo Kunath

Dr. Tilo Kunath is a Reader in Regenerative Neurobiology at the University of Edinburgh's School of Biological Sciences and Co-Director of the Centre for Regenerative Medicine. His work focuses on Parkinson's disease mechanisms and cell-based therapies, particularly using CRISPR-edited stem cells to generate disease-resistant dopaminergic neurons. He leads a lab investigating α-synuclein's role in neurodegeneration and collaborates with institutions like the UK Centre for Mammalian Synthetic Biology. His research aims to translate findings into clinical therapies, with recent advancements in gene-edited cell therapies showing promise for young-onset Parkinson's patients.

Education: PhD from the University of Toronto (with Prof. Janet Rossant), postdoctoral studies at Edinburgh under Prof. Austin Smith, and visiting professorship at the University of Tsukuba. He mentors PhD students and researchers, including well-supported fellows like Ammar Natalwala (Wellcome Trust). Funded by grants from Parkinson's UK, BBSRC, and industry partners like UCB.

Research Interests: Mechanisms of α-synuclein-driven neurodegeneration, stem cell engineering for dopamine neuron production, CRISPR-based therapeutic strategies, and biomarker discovery for Parkinson's. Key breakthroughs include developing synucleinopathy-resistant neurons and demonstrating transplantation efficacy in animal models.

Collaborations span physics, chemistry, and engineering, including partnerships with Prof. Cait MacPhee (University of Edinburgh) and Dr. Michele Zagnoni (University of Strathclyde). His work bridges basic science with translational medicine, emphasizing clinical trial readiness for cell-based therapies.