Professor Kathryn North
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Professor
C29 - Children's Hospital Westmead |
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Research interests
Professor Kathryn North - Head, Institute for Neuroscience and Muscle Research
Neuromuscular disorders constitute one of the major causes of ongoing disability in childhood. Children with neuromuscular disorders have significant and worsening disabilities; many children are unable to walk and, in severe cases, the weakness impairs the muscles of breathing resulting in death at an early age. The Institute for Neuromuscular Research were established to study inherited neuromuscular disorders such as the muscular dystrophies and staff work closely with the doctors and therapists of the Neurogenetics Clinics to ensure the laboratory discoveries today are translated into real answers for affected children and their families tomorrow.
The Institute for Neuroscience and Muscle Research (INMR) has seven teams working on various aspects of bain, nerve and muscle disorders.
* Skeletal Muscle Function & Performance Team
* Dysferlin and Membrane Repair Team
* Congenital Myopathy Team
* Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) Research Team
* Clinical Research Team
* Neuroinflammation Research
* Neurosurgery Research
The INMR is a multi-disciplinary team involving over 40 clinicians, research scientists, genetic counsellors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and psychologists who care for over 1800 patients and their families.
The questions we seek to answer are directly relevant to our patients - our clinical trials can be immediately incorporated into treatments and therapies and our diagnostic service provides families with accurate diagnosis and disease specific treatment.
The integration of our clinical and laboratory research and the clinical interface with patients within a Hospital setting makes us unique.
Scientists within the laboratory continue to excel, with many junior researchers receiving awards for their presentations at national and international conferences.
Current national competitive grants*
2009
The role of dysferlin in muscular dystrophy and membrane repair
Cooper S, North K
NHMRC Project Grants ($304,250 over 3 years)
2008
Molecular dissection of the effects of alpha-actinin-3 deficiency on normal variation in skeletal muscle function
North K, Huttley G
ARC Discovery Projects ($357,564 over 3 years)
The influence of alpha actinins on human performance in health and disease
North K, Hardeman E, Gunning P, Head S, Yang N
NHMRC Project Grant ($461,625 over 3 years)
2006
Inherited muscle disorders - gene discovery, pathobiology and therapy
Laing N, North K, Nowak K
NHMRC Project Grant. Shared Research Support ($709,375 over 5 years)
* Grants administered through the University of Sydney