About Shane Liddelow

Experienced and highly enthusiastic research scientist with strong skills in experimental design, scientific communication and leadership. Liaises effectively with co-workers and collaborators, enjoys challenging projects and thrives in a dynamic fast-paced environment.

Astrocytes are the most abundant cells in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). They are integral to brain and spinal-cord physiology and perform many functions important for normal neuronal development, synapse formation, and proper propagation of action potentials. We still know very little, however, about how these functions change in response to immune attack, chronic neurodegenerative disease, or acute trauma.

Our work focuses on the mechanisms that induce different forms of reactive astrocytes, and how these reactive cells interact with other cells in the CNS in a positive or negative way.

We aim to apply this knowledge to reactive astrocytes in human disease, and believe that the discovery of astrocytes with different reactive states has important implications for the development of new therapies for CNS injury and diseases.

Ultimately, we aim to provide a more comprehensive understanding of what astrocytes do in disease and how we might ameliorate disease by targeting astrocytes.