Professor Flaviano Giorgini
Professor of Neurogenetics
Contact details
Tel: 0116 252 3485
Fax: +44 (0)116 252 3378
Email: fg36@le.ac.uk
Personal details
- BSc (West Lafayette)
- MA (St. Louis)
- PhD (Seattle)
I grew up amidst the corn fields of Indiana and pursued a BSc degree in Biological Sciences (with an emphasis in Genetics) at Purdue University. I obtained a MA degree in Molecular Genetics at Washington University in Saint Louis and a PhD in Genetics at the University of Washington in Seattle.
My interest in neurodegeneration research began as a Senior Fellow in the Department of Pharmacology (University of Washington). Mywork during this time, combined with my background in genetics and model organisms, formed the basis for my current research in neurogenetics at the University of Leicester. Starting as a Lecturer in the Department of Genetics in 2006, I became Reader in Neurogenetics in 2012, as has been Professor of Neurogenetics since 2015.
Publications
To view my publications please click HERE
Research
Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. This disease is caused by an expansion of a polyglutamine tract in the protein huntington and is characterised by atrophy in the striatum and cortex of the brain. The most common symptomatic manifestations of the disease are chorea (involuntary jerking of muscles), cognitive deficits and psychiatric disturbances. Although the initiating trigger in HD is known, the critical molecular mechanisms underlying this devastating illness remain unresolved. Our work focuses on elucidating these molecular mechanisms with the hope of aiding in the development of therapeutic strategies for HD.

A good deal of our research is focused on the role of the kynurenine pathway in HD pathology, and we have a particular interest in the enzyme kynurenine 3-monoxygenase (KMO) as a candidate therapeutic target for this disease.