The Barker Lab
@thebarkerlabgroup.bsky.social
We are led by Professor Roger Barker, for the last 25 years we have run both clinical and laboratory-based research, focused on neurodegenerative diseases Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease.
'Is it time to target inflammation in Huntington’s disease?'
Save the date for EHDN's next platform meeting: Friday 30 January 2026, 13:30-15:00. Roger will be presenting, as well as Dr Niels Skotte then an expert panel discussion.
All are very welcome to attend!
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Save the date for EHDN's next platform meeting: Friday 30 January 2026, 13:30-15:00. Roger will be presenting, as well as Dr Niels Skotte then an expert panel discussion.
All are very welcome to attend!
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: EHDN Platform Meeting - Is it time to target inflammation in Huntington's disease?. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining ...
Evidence supports inflammation playing a role in Huntington's disease pathogenesis. The mutant huntingtin protein disrupts immune cell function, centrally and peripherally.
Long before symptom onset,...
us06web.zoom.us
December 5, 2025 at 11:17 AM
'Is it time to target inflammation in Huntington’s disease?'
Save the date for EHDN's next platform meeting: Friday 30 January 2026, 13:30-15:00. Roger will be presenting, as well as Dr Niels Skotte then an expert panel discussion.
All are very welcome to attend!
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Save the date for EHDN's next platform meeting: Friday 30 January 2026, 13:30-15:00. Roger will be presenting, as well as Dr Niels Skotte then an expert panel discussion.
All are very welcome to attend!
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Congratulations Jana for winning the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute Seed Funding Scheme 2026 🎉 The project is titled 'expanding multiplexing capabilities of confocal imaging systems using average arrival time-gating acquisition and unmixing'. We wish you all the best with the work!
December 4, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Congratulations Jana for winning the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute Seed Funding Scheme 2026 🎉 The project is titled 'expanding multiplexing capabilities of confocal imaging systems using average arrival time-gating acquisition and unmixing'. We wish you all the best with the work!
I’m happy to share the paper “Phosphoproteomic profiling reveals post-translational dysregulation in Huntington’s disease patient-derived neurons,” is now live on Biorxiv. Thank you to all involved for the incredible teamwork and contributions in this paper!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Phosphoproteomic profiling reveals post-translational dysregulation in Huntington’s disease patient-derived neurons
Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the Huntingtin ( HTT ) gene. Although transcriptomic and proteomic changes have been characterized i...
www.biorxiv.org
December 4, 2025 at 10:46 AM
I’m happy to share the paper “Phosphoproteomic profiling reveals post-translational dysregulation in Huntington’s disease patient-derived neurons,” is now live on Biorxiv. Thank you to all involved for the incredible teamwork and contributions in this paper!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Our Sophie has just returned from an exciting research visit to our collaborators at the Jakobsson Lab in Lund University!
During her month stay, she carried out Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing experiments as part of her PhD project - an opportunity made possible by BRC NDD Pump Priming Grant.
During her month stay, she carried out Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing experiments as part of her PhD project - an opportunity made possible by BRC NDD Pump Priming Grant.
December 3, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Our Sophie has just returned from an exciting research visit to our collaborators at the Jakobsson Lab in Lund University!
During her month stay, she carried out Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing experiments as part of her PhD project - an opportunity made possible by BRC NDD Pump Priming Grant.
During her month stay, she carried out Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing experiments as part of her PhD project - an opportunity made possible by BRC NDD Pump Priming Grant.
The Parkinson's Plan by Michael S Okun and Ray Dorsey. From cause to care— everything we know about PD, and what we can do next.
Roger helped contribute to the book by completing an interview with Michael and he kindly sent him a signed copy with a lovely message!
See more on the book: pdplan.org
Roger helped contribute to the book by completing an interview with Michael and he kindly sent him a signed copy with a lovely message!
See more on the book: pdplan.org
December 1, 2025 at 2:18 PM
The Parkinson's Plan by Michael S Okun and Ray Dorsey. From cause to care— everything we know about PD, and what we can do next.
Roger helped contribute to the book by completing an interview with Michael and he kindly sent him a signed copy with a lovely message!
See more on the book: pdplan.org
Roger helped contribute to the book by completing an interview with Michael and he kindly sent him a signed copy with a lovely message!
See more on the book: pdplan.org
Saeed and Roger's manuscript has just been published in Clinical Trials Highlights of the Journal of Parkinson’s disease!
The manuscript: doi.org/10.1177/1877...
In the paper they summarised the landscape of ongoing & recently completed clinical trials of dopamine cell replacement therapy for PD
The manuscript: doi.org/10.1177/1877...
In the paper they summarised the landscape of ongoing & recently completed clinical trials of dopamine cell replacement therapy for PD
Clinical trial highlights: Dopamine
cell-replacement therapies - Saeed Kayhanian, Roger A Barker, 2025
Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder, which is characterised by motor features, many of which relate to the loss of the dopaminergic ...
doi.org
November 28, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Saeed and Roger's manuscript has just been published in Clinical Trials Highlights of the Journal of Parkinson’s disease!
The manuscript: doi.org/10.1177/1877...
In the paper they summarised the landscape of ongoing & recently completed clinical trials of dopamine cell replacement therapy for PD
The manuscript: doi.org/10.1177/1877...
In the paper they summarised the landscape of ongoing & recently completed clinical trials of dopamine cell replacement therapy for PD
Roger was in Stockholm on Tuesday at the Karolinska Institute giving the first Ernest Arenas Memorial Lecture in Nobel Forum. Ernest sadly died last year, and was a long term collaborator and colleague. The talk on cell therapies for PD, also included personal reflections on Ernest from Roger.
November 27, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Roger was in Stockholm on Tuesday at the Karolinska Institute giving the first Ernest Arenas Memorial Lecture in Nobel Forum. Ernest sadly died last year, and was a long term collaborator and colleague. The talk on cell therapies for PD, also included personal reflections on Ernest from Roger.
Prof Roger Barker has been appointed as an honorary doctor by Lund University Faculty of Medicine 🎉
Fantastic news, congratulations Roger!
See the article here with more details: www.medicine.lu.se/article/phil...
Fantastic news, congratulations Roger!
See the article here with more details: www.medicine.lu.se/article/phil...
A philosopher, a journalist, and a leading neuroscientist appointed new honorary doctors
Lund University. A philosopher who deepens and renews the public conversation on ethics, judgement, and views of humanity within healthcare and medicine
www.medicine.lu.se
November 26, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Prof Roger Barker has been appointed as an honorary doctor by Lund University Faculty of Medicine 🎉
Fantastic news, congratulations Roger!
See the article here with more details: www.medicine.lu.se/article/phil...
Fantastic news, congratulations Roger!
See the article here with more details: www.medicine.lu.se/article/phil...
Roger and Saeed Kayhanian were approached to write a chapter in Parkinson's Disease Second Edition, Cold spring harbour perspectives in medicine. See the copy here, their chapter discussed Dopamine Cell-Based Replacement Therapies in PD! Huge congratulations Roger and Saeed 🎉
November 25, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Roger and Saeed Kayhanian were approached to write a chapter in Parkinson's Disease Second Edition, Cold spring harbour perspectives in medicine. See the copy here, their chapter discussed Dopamine Cell-Based Replacement Therapies in PD! Huge congratulations Roger and Saeed 🎉
I am thrilled to be speaking at the 7th World Parkinson Congress #wpc2026 in Phoenix Arizona, taking place May 24-27, 2026. I hope to see you there!
Register at wpc2026.org
@worldpdcongress.bsky.social
Register at wpc2026.org
@worldpdcongress.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 9:42 AM
I am thrilled to be speaking at the 7th World Parkinson Congress #wpc2026 in Phoenix Arizona, taking place May 24-27, 2026. I hope to see you there!
Register at wpc2026.org
@worldpdcongress.bsky.social
Register at wpc2026.org
@worldpdcongress.bsky.social
Roger spoke at the French Movement Disorder meeting on Thursday 20th November in Toulouse.
He gave a remote talk updating the conference on recent trials in stem cell derived dopamine cell transplants in Parkinson's.
See the programme here:
www.sofma.net/programme-20...
He gave a remote talk updating the conference on recent trials in stem cell derived dopamine cell transplants in Parkinson's.
See the programme here:
www.sofma.net/programme-20...
PROGRAMME 2025 - SOFMA
www.sofma.net
November 21, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Roger spoke at the French Movement Disorder meeting on Thursday 20th November in Toulouse.
He gave a remote talk updating the conference on recent trials in stem cell derived dopamine cell transplants in Parkinson's.
See the programme here:
www.sofma.net/programme-20...
He gave a remote talk updating the conference on recent trials in stem cell derived dopamine cell transplants in Parkinson's.
See the programme here:
www.sofma.net/programme-20...
Roger spoke at the Bury St Edmunds Parkinson's UK branch yesterday on new advances in dopamine cell therapies in PD. This included chatting Andy from the Stem-PD trial - a year on from his transplant. Great turnout and questions!
See here future events:
localsupport.parkinsons.org.uk/provider/bur...
See here future events:
localsupport.parkinsons.org.uk/provider/bur...
Bury St Edmunds Support Group
localsupport.parkinsons.org.uk
November 21, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Roger spoke at the Bury St Edmunds Parkinson's UK branch yesterday on new advances in dopamine cell therapies in PD. This included chatting Andy from the Stem-PD trial - a year on from his transplant. Great turnout and questions!
See here future events:
localsupport.parkinsons.org.uk/provider/bur...
See here future events:
localsupport.parkinsons.org.uk/provider/bur...
Roger attended a workshop and then the grants committee for MyName'5Doddie Foundation last week!
The event brought together leading researchers, clinicians, industry partners and people affected by MND to shape the future of the Discovery Network.
Find out more here:
www.myname5doddie.co.uk
The event brought together leading researchers, clinicians, industry partners and people affected by MND to shape the future of the Discovery Network.
Find out more here:
www.myname5doddie.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Roger attended a workshop and then the grants committee for MyName'5Doddie Foundation last week!
The event brought together leading researchers, clinicians, industry partners and people affected by MND to shape the future of the Discovery Network.
Find out more here:
www.myname5doddie.co.uk
The event brought together leading researchers, clinicians, industry partners and people affected by MND to shape the future of the Discovery Network.
Find out more here:
www.myname5doddie.co.uk
Serenata Female Voices - Sunday 21st December in aid of Parkinson's UK
A host of sparkling Christmas songs and carols at Trinity College Chapel in Cambridge, come along!
serenatafemalevoices.co.uk/event/christ...
A host of sparkling Christmas songs and carols at Trinity College Chapel in Cambridge, come along!
serenatafemalevoices.co.uk/event/christ...
November 20, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Serenata Female Voices - Sunday 21st December in aid of Parkinson's UK
A host of sparkling Christmas songs and carols at Trinity College Chapel in Cambridge, come along!
serenatafemalevoices.co.uk/event/christ...
A host of sparkling Christmas songs and carols at Trinity College Chapel in Cambridge, come along!
serenatafemalevoices.co.uk/event/christ...
Tom, Sarah and Roger went to a reception at the Houses of Parliament yesterday organised by the HDA and hosted by MP Helen Maguire.
It brought together patients and their families, the HDA, MPs, clinicians and scientists with a series of talks, mainly around the UniQure gene therapy trial in HD.
It brought together patients and their families, the HDA, MPs, clinicians and scientists with a series of talks, mainly around the UniQure gene therapy trial in HD.
November 20, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Tom, Sarah and Roger went to a reception at the Houses of Parliament yesterday organised by the HDA and hosted by MP Helen Maguire.
It brought together patients and their families, the HDA, MPs, clinicians and scientists with a series of talks, mainly around the UniQure gene therapy trial in HD.
It brought together patients and their families, the HDA, MPs, clinicians and scientists with a series of talks, mainly around the UniQure gene therapy trial in HD.
Roger spoke on Tuesday 18th November at a meeting of the U3A. He gave the Norah Boyce Science lecture to an audience of over 150 people on line about "where are we with repairing the brain in Parkinson's Disease?". Wonderfully interactive audience with lots of great questions!
November 19, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Roger spoke on Tuesday 18th November at a meeting of the U3A. He gave the Norah Boyce Science lecture to an audience of over 150 people on line about "where are we with repairing the brain in Parkinson's Disease?". Wonderfully interactive audience with lots of great questions!
Roger is presenting the next live webinar with NoSilverBullet4PD. His talk “Stem Cells and Parkinson’s: How Close Are We?” is on Monday 8th December 2025 at 7.30pm. This event is free and open to all!
For more details & to register see here:
preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webvi...
For more details & to register see here:
preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webvi...
November 17, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Roger is presenting the next live webinar with NoSilverBullet4PD. His talk “Stem Cells and Parkinson’s: How Close Are We?” is on Monday 8th December 2025 at 7.30pm. This event is free and open to all!
For more details & to register see here:
preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webvi...
For more details & to register see here:
preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webvi...
We are excited to announce the recently published paper 'Chromatin accessibility during human first-trimester neurodevelopment' in nature!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Chromatin accessibility during human first-trimester neurodevelopment - Nature
A study describes chromatin accessibility and paired gene expression across the entire developing human brain during the first trimester in the context of gene regulation and neurodevelopmental diseas...
www.nature.com
November 14, 2025 at 9:48 AM
We are excited to announce the recently published paper 'Chromatin accessibility during human first-trimester neurodevelopment' in nature!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Jamie and Jana attended the School of Clinical Medicine Doctoral Training Programme symposium at Clare college yesterday! Jamie presented his work on PSP & CBD and was part of the organising committee.. He helped with the planning, running of the event and chaired the career panel session.
November 13, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Jamie and Jana attended the School of Clinical Medicine Doctoral Training Programme symposium at Clare college yesterday! Jamie presented his work on PSP & CBD and was part of the organising committee.. He helped with the planning, running of the event and chaired the career panel session.
We are delighted to announce the publication of our recent review on 2 innovative papers by the Cattaneo group (University of Milan) and the Xiong group (Fudan University), who studied stem cell transplants in Huntington’s disease animal models. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Cell transplantation therapies in Huntington’s disease – Current status and future directions
www.sciencedirect.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:35 PM
We are delighted to announce the publication of our recent review on 2 innovative papers by the Cattaneo group (University of Milan) and the Xiong group (Fudan University), who studied stem cell transplants in Huntington’s disease animal models. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Tom, Katie and Amy attended the UK & Ireland HD Network meeting in Birmingham this Thursday & Friday. They enjoyed listening to the research and clinical trials updates and breakout sessions with colleagues from other HD sites. Even managed to have a wander around the Christmas Markets!
November 7, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Tom, Katie and Amy attended the UK & Ireland HD Network meeting in Birmingham this Thursday & Friday. They enjoyed listening to the research and clinical trials updates and breakout sessions with colleagues from other HD sites. Even managed to have a wander around the Christmas Markets!
@hdbuzzfeed.bsky.social have released an article regarding the UniQure press release 3rd Nov. “This is a regulatory misalignment, not a scientific setback. It reflects the slow, iterative nature of drug development. Progress continues, just on a different timetable.”
en.hdbuzz.net/uniqure-and-...
en.hdbuzz.net/uniqure-and-...
UniQure and FDA No Longer in Alignment on Approval Pathway for AMT-130 – HDBuzz
en.hdbuzz.net
November 4, 2025 at 12:07 PM
@hdbuzzfeed.bsky.social have released an article regarding the UniQure press release 3rd Nov. “This is a regulatory misalignment, not a scientific setback. It reflects the slow, iterative nature of drug development. Progress continues, just on a different timetable.”
en.hdbuzz.net/uniqure-and-...
en.hdbuzz.net/uniqure-and-...
See here a recent Alzforum article ‘Trials Rekindle Interest in Cell Replacement for Parkinson’s’ featuring our recently published TransEUro paper!
www.alzforum.org/news/researc...
www.alzforum.org/news/researc...
Trials Rekindle Interest in Cell Replacement for Parkinson’s | ALZFORUM
www.alzforum.org
October 31, 2025 at 11:07 AM
See here a recent Alzforum article ‘Trials Rekindle Interest in Cell Replacement for Parkinson’s’ featuring our recently published TransEUro paper!
www.alzforum.org/news/researc...
www.alzforum.org/news/researc...
Last Tuesday Roger undertook another Research Spotlight with the WPC, chatting to Professor Lynn Rochester from Newcastle about life in research and the work on digital monitoring and gait in PD. The recordings are out, if you are interested go have a listen!
www.worldpdcoalition.org/page/WPCRese...
www.worldpdcoalition.org/page/WPCRese...
www.worldpdcoalition.org
October 30, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Last Tuesday Roger undertook another Research Spotlight with the WPC, chatting to Professor Lynn Rochester from Newcastle about life in research and the work on digital monitoring and gait in PD. The recordings are out, if you are interested go have a listen!
www.worldpdcoalition.org/page/WPCRese...
www.worldpdcoalition.org/page/WPCRese...
Jamie, one of our 1st year PhD students, presented at the Clinical Neurosciences Postgraduate Seminars on Friday 24th October! His presentation is titled Using Transcriptomics to Understand the Role of Neuroinflammation in Early Parkinson's and Atypical Parkinsonian Disorders PSP & CBD
October 29, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Jamie, one of our 1st year PhD students, presented at the Clinical Neurosciences Postgraduate Seminars on Friday 24th October! His presentation is titled Using Transcriptomics to Understand the Role of Neuroinflammation in Early Parkinson's and Atypical Parkinsonian Disorders PSP & CBD