缅北禁地

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences (First Class), 缅北禁地

MRes Neuroscience (Distinction), 缅北禁地

PhD in the Neuropathology of Alpers' syndrome, Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, 缅北禁地

Medical Scientific Advisor

- Paediatric Mitochondrial Disease Charity

Professional memberships

Elected Board Member of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) British Branch Young Epilepsy Section (2023 - Present)

British Neuroscience Association (BNS)

Research Interests

My main research interests are in primary metabolic epilepsies. In particular, I am keen to understand the neuropathophysiological mechanisms underpinning refractory epilepsy in patients with POLG-related mitochondrial disease, including the paediatric onset form Alpers' syndrome. My research to date has employed post-mortem brain tissues from patients with Alpers' syndrome' to delineate the specific cellular vulnerabilities contributing to neuronal hyperexcitability in POLG-related disease. In addition to performing detailed neuropathology studies, my ongoing research is also focussed on modelling the neuropathophysiological features of POLG-related mitochondrial epilepsy using novel in vitro brain slice platforms. The aim of these studies is to better understand early stages of disease pathogenesis and to identify therapeutic targets.

Funders

Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) Children's Charity

The Ryan Stanford Appeal Charity

Mito Foundation

The Noah Jordan Foundation

Lab members

Jane Zhuk - PhD student funded by Epilepsy Research Institute UK

Elsaed Mohamed - PhD student funded by The Noah Jordan Foundation

Demonstrator for the neuroanatomy practical on the MRes Neuroscience course.

• Articles

  • Smith LA, Olkhova EA, Lax NZ, Ng YS, Taylor RW, Gorman GS, Erskine D, McFarland R. . Acta Neuropathologica 2025, 149(1), 53.
  • Smith LA, Chen C, Lax NZ, Taylor RW, Erskine D, McFarland R. . Acta Neuropathologica Communications 2023, 11, 86.
  • Smith LA, Erskine D, Blain A, Taylor RW, McFarland R, Lax NZ. . Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology 2022, 48(6), e12833.

• Book Chapter

  • Lax NZ, Smith LA, Taylor RW, Chinnery PF. . In: Smith C; Perry A; Kovacs G; Jacques T, ed. Greenfield's Neuropathology 10th Edition. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2025, pp.585-622.

• Reviews

  • Smith LA, Keane EB, Connor K, Chan F, Cunningham MO. . Seizure 2025, epub ahead of print.
  • Olkhova EA, Smith LA, Dennis BH, Ng YS, LeBeau FEN, Gorman GS. . Biochemical Society Transactions 2024, 52(2), 553-565.
  • Olkhova EA, Smith LA, Bradshaw C, Gorman GS, Erskine D, Ng YS. . International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2023, 24(11), 9698.