Dr. Sophia Davidson is the Research Group Head for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research. She studies the interplay between genetics, inflammation, and neurodevelopment. Dr Davidson started her research career at the University of Newcastle in Australia, where she looked at how the body’s inflammatory response works during respiratory infections. After that, she moved to the United Kingdom to do her PhD at the Francis Crick Research Institute in London. Her research focused on how genetics can influence the body’s inflammatory response to the Influenza A virus. Surprisingly, she found that certain aspects of the inflammatory response can make the disease worse. This discovery has since influenced clinical trials for both Influenza A virus and COVID-19.
Fascinated by the relationship between our genetics and inflammation, Dr Davidson joined the lab of Professor Seth Masters in 2016 (WEHI) to work on inflammatory diseases caused by genetic mutations. This research has led her into the field of neurodevelopment where she uses genetic editing, induced pluripotent stem cells, and super resolution imaging to investigate inflammatory pathways activated in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Research
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism and intellectual disability affect over 7% of Australian children. Characterized by deficits in communication, motor skills and behavioural flexibility, they often result in a lifetime of dependence on family and the healthcare system. While over 40% of NDDs can be linked to genetic causes, identifying these genetic factors rarely leads to better treatment options. This is partly due to the limited treatment choices for NDD patients, and also because we don’t fully understand how many genetic mutations result in NDD.
Dr. Sophia Davidson’s research suggests that inflammation might be a common factor in many mutations associated with NDDs. It’s well-established that inflammation can disrupt brain development. The Al & Val Rosenstrauss Fellowship will fund research into how inflammation is triggered by these NDD-linked genetic mutations. This research will include using induced pluripotent stem cells to simulate NDDs and exploring whether existing anti-inflammatory drugs could be repurposed to treat NDDs.
This research will shed light on previously unknown pathways which regulate inflammation during brain development. With the ultimate goal of making previously intractable NDDs treatable, thereby leading to significantly improved developmental outcomes and quality of life for NDD children and their families.