Andrew Singleton

Background

He was born in Guernsey, the Channel Islands in 1972, where he lived until he was 18 years old.

Education

He earned a first class degree in Applied Physiology from Sunderland University and his Doctor of Philosophy in neuroscience from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne where he studied the genetics of Alzheimer"s disease and other dementias at the Medical Research Council (Medical Research Council) Neurochemical Pathology Unit.

Career

His secondary education was conducted at the Guernsey Grammar School. He moved to the United States in 1999, where he began working at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida studying the genetic basis of Parkinson"s disease, ataxia, and dystonia. He moved to the National Institutes of Health in 2001 to head the newly formed Molecular Genetics unit within the Laboratory of Neurogenetics.

In 2006 he took over as chief of the Laboratory of Neurogenetics.

He is now a tenured Senior Investigator in the intramural program at the National Institute on Aging ( National Investigation Agency). Doctor Singleton is best known for his work aimed at understanding the genetic etiology of Parkinson"s disease.

His first well-known work described the discovery of a triplication mutation of the alpha-synuclein gene that causes a severe, early-onset form of Parkinson"s disease. One year later he led the group that was the first to identify mutations in the LRRK2 gene as a cause of familial Parkinson"s disease, as well as the more common, sporadic Parkinson"s disease.

Since then, his laboratory has focused more on the complex genetics of Parkinson"s disease, describing more than 15 common genetic risk factors for this disease.

In addition to working on Parkinson"s disease and other neurological disorders, his laboratory has active research programs investigating genetic diversity and the consequences of genetic alterations, particularly in the context of the brain and aging, using systems biology-based approaches.

Achievements

• Boehringer Mannheim research Award in 2005 Annemarie Opprecht Award in 2008 National Institutes of Health Directors Award in 2008 He serves on the editorial boards of the journals Annals of Neurology, Brain, Lancet Neurology, Neurogenetics, Journal of Parkinson"s Disease, and Neurodegenerative Diseases Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson disease research Scientific Advisory Board Scientific Advisory Board of the Lewy Body Dementia Association First Recipient of the Jay van Andel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Parkinson"s Disease Research, presented at the Van Andel Institute in 2012.