Dr Alessandra Granata
- Senior Research Associate
About
Alex has been a Senior Research Associate in the Stroke Research group since 2016. Her primary research focus is to develop novel treatments for vascular dementia and stroke, both of which pose significant socio-economic burdens worldwide. The approach involves utilising human stem cell-based models derived from patients affected by these diseases.
A pivotal aspect of the research involved the development of an innovative 'disease in a dish' models for the familial types of small vessel diseases (SVD), a major contributor to vascular dementia. One type of familial SVD is caused by mutations in the COL4A gene, responsible for encoding collagen IV, a crucial component of blood vessel extracellular matrix. In our model, She successfully replicated leaky small blood vessels observed in patients.
Moreover, the investigations have demonstrated the potential reversal of this leakiness through the application of inhibitors targeting matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in our lab disease models. This breakthrough opens doors to the development of promising new treatments targeting MMPs in vascular dementia.
Research
I lead the research group for modelling cerebrovascular diseases using patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). I am based at the Clifford Allbutt Building, Central Biomedical Campus, Addenbrooke’s Site and am part of the Stroke Research Group of Professor Hugh Markus, in the department of Clinical Neurosciences.
My main research interest is to develop iPSC-based model system for genetic forms of cerebral small vessel diseases (SVD), exploiting findings from genome wide association studies (GWAS) and whole genome sequencing studies in ischaemic stroke. We believe that iPSC-derived models can be used to uncover disease mechanisms and to identify new treatments for SVD.
