DMS Faculty Office: 4160

• Professor of Neurology
• BVMS 1971, Glasgow University
• PhD 1975, Glasgow University, FRCVS, FRCPath

Our research is aimed at repairing the central nervous system in people with myelin disorders. While our major target is multiple sclerosis (MS), we also are devising strategies for myelin repair in the inherited childhood disorders, particularly Krabbe’s disease and Pelizaeus Merzbacher disease. We are attempting to identify and isolate in large numbers, myelinating cells from human embryonic or neural stem cells. We then test the myelinating capacities of these cells by transplanting them into animal models of human disease. These models either are mutants with disorders in myelin or myelin-related genes, or experimental immune mediated demyelinating disease. While much of our work involves the focal implantation of cells, we are also trying to devise methods of cell dissemination throughout the CNS. In Krabbe’s disease, we are exploring enzyme replacement in this lysosomal storage disease by transducing transplanted cells to overexpress the gene for galactocerebrosidase using lentiviral approaches.

Visit the Duncan Lab Website.

Neurology

Minocycline down-regulates MHC II expression in microglia through inhibition of IRF-1 and PKC_a/b._ Nikodemova M., Watters J, Jackson S., Yang S., Duncan ID. J. Biol. Chem,_ 2007, 282 (20), 15208-15216.

His36Pro point-mutated proteolipid protein retained in the endoplasmic reticulum of oligodendrocytes in the shaking pup. Song J, Goetz BD, Duncan ID. Glia, 2006 53(3), 257-265.

Oligodendroglial modulation of fast axonal transport in a mouse model of hereditary spastic paraplegia. Edgar JM, McLaughlin M, Yool D, Zhang S-C, Fowler JH, Montague P, Barrie JA, McCulloch MC, Duncan ID, Garber J, Nave KA, Griffiths IR. J. Cell Biol. 2004 166(1):121-131.

RNA transport in oligodendrocytes from the taiep mutant rat. Song J, Carson JH, Barbarese E, Li F-Y, and Duncan ID. Mol. Cell. Neurosci. 2003 24(4):926-938.

Inhibition of autoimmune encephalitis by a tetracycline. Popovic N, Goetz BD, Schubart A, Linington CR, and Duncan ID. Anns. Neurology. 2002 51(2):215-223.

In vitro differentiation and transplantation of human ES cell-derived neural precursors. Zhang S-C, Wernig M, Duncan ID, Brustle O, Thomson JA. Nature Biotechnology. 2001 19(12):1129-1133.

Cytoskeletal reorganization during the formation of oligodendrocyte processes and branches. Song J, Goetz BD, Baas PW, and Duncan ID. Mol. Cellular Neurosci. 2001 17 (4) 624-636.

Neurotransplantation of magnetically labeled oligodendrocyte progenitors: MR tracking of cell migration and myelination. Bulte JWM, Zhang S-C, van Gelderen P, Herynek V, Jordan EK, Duncan ID, and Frank JA. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 1999, 96, 15256-15261.

O'Connor, L.T., Goetz, B.D., Kwiecien, J.M., Delaney, K.H., Fletch, A.L. and Duncan, I.D. Insertion of a retrotransposon into the myelin basic gene causes CNS dysmyelination in the Long Evans shaker (les) rat. J. Neurosci., 19:3404-3413, 1999.

Zhang, S-C., Ge, B., and Duncan, I.D. Adult brain retains the potential to generate oligodendroglial progenitors with extensive myelination capacity. Proc. Nat. Acad. of Sci., 96:4089-4094, 1999.

Archer, D.R., Cuddon, P.C., Lipsitz, D.L., Duncan, I.D. Myelination of the canine CNS by glial cell transplantation; a model for repair of human myelin disease. Nature Medicine, 3:54-59, 1997.

Duncan, I.D., Grever, W.E., and Zhang, S.C. Repair of myelin disease: strategies and progress in animal models. Molecular Medicine Today, 3:554-561, 1997. Invited.