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Vincent

@vdion.bsky.social

190 followers 220 following 15 posts

Prof of DNA repair and neurodegeneration at the UK DRI at Cardiff university. Huntington’s disease Myotonic dystrophy and others

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Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Jan 23

We are looking for a new director of the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University! We are doing work on #Huntingtons #Alzheimers #PD.

This is a unique opportunity to be my boss!

To apply:

krb-sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Sear...

Centre Director, MRC UK Dementia Research Institut - Cardiff University - Job Details

Job Details: Centre Director, MRC UK Dementia Research Institute at CardiffChair in Neuroscience, Clinical or Non-ClinicalS

krb-sjobs.brassring.com

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Aug 30

Ever wondered why there are interruptions in expanded repeats?

Here are our thoughts:

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

(We think the answer is double-strand break repair)

PS: I’ve not been on here for a bit, but I needed to do some self promotion.

Interruptions impact clinical features of repeat expansion diseases, but how are they gained and lost?

Interruptions within expanded tandem repeats reduce somatic expansion and alter the severity of the resulting diseases. Consequently, much has been do…

www.sciencedirect.com

Reposted by Vincent

Georgina Menzies @georginamenzies.bsky.social · May 15

Next up prof. Vincent Dion from the @ukdri.ac.uk is talking science fact, not science fiction, and telling us about his groups approach to finding a treatment for Huntingtons. @alzheimersresearchuk.org

Reposted by Vincent

Georgina Menzies @georginamenzies.bsky.social · May 15

Our second speaker of the day, Dr Lelos talking to us about cell therapy and how this might be used to treat Huntingtons. @alzheimersresearchuk.org

Reposted by Vincent

Georgina Menzies @georginamenzies.bsky.social · May 15

ARUK public engagement at the @cardiffcity.bsky.social stadium. Dr Massey kicking it off by talking to us about Huntington’s Disease, what it is and how we might be cure it. @alzheimersresearchuk.org

Image shows a researcher in a stage explaining Huntington’s disease. He is talking about the CAG expansion found in this disease.

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Apr 20

Yes, that’s another good reason: it is expansive to move abroad!

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Apr 3

We are lucky to be among the funded projects (We’re in good company!)

We’re de-risking our gene editing approach for expanded repeat disorders (e.g. Huntington’s disease, myotonic dystrophy…).

One step closer to the clinic!

www.ukdri.ac.uk/news-and-eve...

Gene therapy, brain stimulation and drug targets: latest round of Translation Awards announced

We are pleased to announce the eight awardees in the fifth round of the UK DRI Translation Award programme – designed to unlock impact and drive translation within the Institute, kick starting the ear...

www.ukdri.ac.uk

Reposted by Vincent

Marco Brancaccio @mbra3.bsky.social · Mar 10

Postdoc position still available in my group at Imperial. We are looking for talented and enthusiastic candidates with significant experience with live imaging/ electrophysiology. Deadline 3/4/25 www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/search-...
@bioclocksuk.bsky.social @imperialbrains.bsky.social @ukdri.ac.uk

Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities ment...

www.imperial.ac.uk

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Feb 26

If you are from abroad and/or you have already been thinking of leaving, this is a good push.

But for the vast majority of people, going abroad is not a solution.

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Feb 26

3) There are not enough science jobs for hundreds of Americans to suddenly go abroad.

4) This is a grass is greener on the other side idea. There are problems with the systems elsewhere also.

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Feb 26

2) Getting funding in another country’s funding system is not trivial. NIH-style grant is not the same as MRC or CIHR grants. The cultures, reviewers, and expected preliminary data are all different. It’s a new skill to learn.

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Feb 26

1) It is incredibly hard to move countries, you lose your social circle and you uproot your kids/partner who also have local lives/jobs/studies.

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Feb 26

I’ll say it again because it is important. American scientists will not en masse leave the US.

This is for several reasons. Here are a few.

For those already on the fence, we are recruiting a new centre director.

www.ukdri.ac.uk/vacancies/ce...

Centre Director, UK DRI at Cardiff

The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), principally funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), and Cardiff University are seeking to appoint an outstanding established academic to a new Chair ...

www.ukdri.ac.uk

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Feb 18

I did this podcast about where we are with our gene editing approach for expanded repeat disorders. I think you’ll enjoy it. I did anyway!

open.spotify.com/episode/5aPX...

Huntington's Disease: Professor Vincent Dion on The Promise of a Cure

In Two Minds · Episode

open.spotify.com

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Feb 11

I need your help in spreading the word. We need a new director. The link is here:

www.ukdri.ac.uk/vacancies/ce...

Centre Director, UK DRI at Cardiff

The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), principally funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), and Cardiff University are seeking to appoint an outstanding established academic to a new Chair ...

www.ukdri.ac.uk

Reposted by Vincent

Harmit Singh Malik @harmitmalik.bsky.social · Jan 28

If you have been affected by the fires in LA, or are concerned about your ability to keep precious Drosophila strains going during the latest funding crisis, we will host your strains as a backup. Please email me.

Please amplify. If you are also able to host fly strains, add your name as well.

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Jan 29

I don’t think many of my American scientist friends will leave the US despite the recent political changes affecting the NIH.

But if they were interested, they should apply to become centre director here in Cardiff!

www.ukdri.ac.uk/vacancies/ce...

Centre Director, UK DRI at Cardiff

The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), principally funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), and Cardiff University are seeking to appoint an outstanding established academic to a new Chair ...

www.ukdri.ac.uk

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Jan 23

We are looking for a new director of the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University! We are doing work on #Huntingtons #Alzheimers #PD.

This is a unique opportunity to be my boss!

To apply:

krb-sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Sear...

Centre Director, MRC UK Dementia Research Institut - Cardiff University - Job Details

Job Details: Centre Director, MRC UK Dementia Research Institute at CardiffChair in Neuroscience, Clinical or Non-ClinicalS

krb-sjobs.brassring.com

Reposted by Vincent

Dementia Researcher @dementiaresearcher.bsky.social · Jan 6

Dr Gabriel Balmus at the UK Dementia Research Institute @ukdri.bsky.social, University of Cambridge is seekign a Research Assistant to work on DNA Damage and Huntington's Disease. Closing date: 19th January

www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/job/research...

Research Assistant: DNA Damage and Huntington’s Disease

Dr Gabriel Balmus at the UK Dementia Research Institute, University of Cambridge is seekign a Research Assistant to work on DNA Damage and Huntington's Disease

www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Dec 10

🤯

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Insights into the causes and consequences of DNA repeat expansions from 700,000 biobank participants

Expansions and contractions of tandem DNA repeats are a source of genetic variation in human populations and in human tissues: some expanded repeats cause inherited disorders, and some are also somati...

www.biorxiv.org

Reposted by Vincent

semirkin.bsky.social @semirkin.bsky.social · Dec 4

Another week, another great paper! Kudos to the amazing grad student, Chiara Masnovo who single-handedly initiated and led the project, and arranged a terrific collaboration with the Aharoni lab from Ben-Gurion University, and to the great members of the two labs.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...?

Stabilization of expandable DNA repeats by the replication factor Mcm10 promotes cell viability - Nature Communications

DNA repeats can lengthen or shorten during their replication, which may lead to a human disease. Here, the authors discovered that an essential replication protein, Mcm10, counteracts instability of G...

Reposted by Vincent

Chiara Masnovo @chiaramasnovophd.bsky.social · Dec 4

Mcm10 — an important replication and elongation factor, counteracts repeat instability and ensures survival of yeast cells containing large homopurine homopyrimidine repeats, such as GAA associated with Friedreich’s Ataxia and AAGGG associated with CANVAS. 🧬 @natureportfolio.bsky.social

Stabilization of expandable DNA repeats by the replication factor Mcm10 promotes cell viability

Nature Communications - DNA repeats can lengthen or shorten during their replication, which may lead to a human disease. Here, the authors discovered that an essential replication protein, Mcm10,...

Reposted by Vincent

Department of Brain Sciences @imperialbrains.bsky.social · Dec 4

In a study of brain cells from mice and humans, researchers have uncovered a 'chemical metronome' which tells us when its time to sleep.😴

The scientists say this could have implications for treating jetlag and sleep disorders.👇
www.imperial.ac.uk/news/258953/...

‘Chemical metronome’ helps the brain to keep time | Imperial News | Imperial College London

Imperial researchers uncover a ‘chemical metronome’ in the brain, which helps to synchronise the master clock telling us when it’s time to sleep.

www.imperial.ac.uk

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Nov 26

I’m a fan! 😍
Well done @semirkin.bsky.social and team!

Looks like where you nick DNA matters a lot!

www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1...

Recurrent DNA nicks drive massive expansions of (GAA)n repeats | PNAS

Over 50 hereditary degenerative disorders are caused by expansions of short tandem DNA repeats (STRs). (GAA)n repeat expansions are responsible for...

Vincent @vdion.bsky.social · Nov 23

This is a good read!

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39574582/

Suppression of Huntington's Disease Somatic Instability by Transcriptional Repression and Direct CAG Repeat Binding - PubMed

Huntington's disease (HD) arises from a CAG expansion in the <i>huntingtin</i> ( <i>HTT</i> ) gene beyond a critical threshold. A major thrust of current HD therapeutic development is lowering levels ...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Reposted by Vincent

Altmetric @altmetric.com · Nov 18

Major announcement on support for a new social media source December 3rd

a cartoon character with the words the truth will be revealed on the bottom

Alt: a cartoon character with the words the truth will be revealed on the bottom

media.tenor.com