Janice Holton, MD, PhD, has been a neuropathologist in the Queen Square Brain Bank for Neurological Disorders (QSBB) for 12 years and has a research interest in alpha-synucleinopathies with several publications relating to Parkinson’s disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA). The QSBB comprises a large tissue resource for research in movement disorders and includes cases with mutations in genes implicated in PD such as LRRK2. Dr. Holton’s work included the recent publication of clinical and neuropathological details associated with a novel mutation in the gene encoding alpha-synuclein, which shares neuropathological features of both PD and MSA. Study of such mutations may help to elucidate neuropathological mechanisms in both MSA and PD.
Dr. Holton is an active member of the British Neuropathological Society and has held the offices of treasurer and chair of the Education and Meetings Committee. Dr. Holton has recently been appointed as editor-in-chief for Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology.