DEBRA UK research summary 2024

Our Director of Research, Dr Sagair Hussain, explains our research at Members' Weekend 2024.

 

 

Hear from our researchers

Dr Anna Martinez works on EB at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, UK.

 

 

Prof John McGrath is an EB specialist in London, UK.

 

Prof Chris Griffiths, experienced dermatologist and independent scientific advisor to DEBRA UK.

 

Dr Christine Chiaverini works on a DEBRA UK-funded project in France.

Find out more about Dr Chiaverini’s research project

 

 

Dr Emma Chambers works on a DEBRA UK-funded project at Queen Mary University of London, UK.

Find out more about Dr Chamber’s research project

 

Dr Joanna Jacków works on a DEBRA UK-funded project at King's College London, UK.

Find out more about Dr Jacków’s research project

 

Prof Andrew Thompson works on a DEBRA UK-funded project at Cardiff University, UK.

Find out more about Prof Thompson’s research project

 

Dr Laura Valinotto works on a DEBRA UK-funded project at CEDIGEA, Argentina.

Find out more about Dr Valinotto’s research project

 

Dr Giovana Carrasco works on a DEBRA UK-funded project at the University of Edinburgh, UK.

Find out more about this project

Read Dr Carrasco’s blog

Dr Jemma Mellerio from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital

Drug repurposing

The importance of drug repurposing.

We are campaigning to raise funds so that treatments that are already used in the NHS can be repurposed to help people affected by EB live a life free of pain.

 

EB and how our skin, and immune systems, work

A detailed explanation of EB at the cellular and molecular level.

 

A tour of our skin and the main cells and proteins in it that can be affected by EB.

 

An introduction to the complexities of our immune systems.

 

Discover more about research and rare diseases

A brief explanation of how many people work together to make research happen.

 

The challenges of researching a 'rare disease' like EB that affects fewer than 1 in 2000 people.

 

Hear the voices of people living with rare conditions.

 

The importance of involving everyone in research.

 

New gene therapy technologies

What is gene therapy?

 

Gene editing process CRISPR.

 

Citizen's jury gene editing debate.

In 2022, a citizen’s jury debated whether the UK government should consider changing the law around gene editing.

 

Exon skipping - a form of gene therapy that could be applied to EB.

 

How other therapies work

What are stem cells?

 

How do medicines we swallow work?