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In Canada, more than 200,000 people have Alzheimer's disease and it is estimated that more than 750,000 Canadians will have the disease and related disorders in 30 years. He went on to show that mutated presenilins contribute to the generation of the amyloid beta protein — deposition of which is the earliest sign of AD in those carrying such genes.
He served his first appointment at Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital, where he taught molecular genetics and neurology from 1987 to 1991. In addition to his work on Alzheimer's disease, Dr. St George-Hyslop has made major contributions to the understanding of several other genetic diseases, such as Parkinson's, motor neuron disease, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob/mad cow disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most devastating neurological illnesses characterized by progressive loss of memory and the ability to conduct everyday activity.
He is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, a fellow of the Royal Society of London and the Royal Society of Canada, and a Foreign Member to the National Academy of Medicine of the US National Academies of Science.
Peter Henry St. George-Hyslop Medicine
The Story
Dr.
St. George-Hyslop, internationally acclaimed geneticist and physician, received his medical degree from the University of Ottawa in 1976. It is caused by the disappearance or shrinkage of brain cells that are replaced by dense, irregularly shaped spots, or plaques.
Peter St George-Hyslop is a medical scientist, neurologist and molecular geneticist who is distinguished for his research into neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Dr. St George-Hyslop’s research has earned numerous awards and prizes.
His research on the genetics of Alzheimer's disease has made a significant impact on the field of molecular and biochemical research. This new development followed their early discoveries in 1995 of the genes responsible for the early onset of Alzheimer disease.
His work on several other neurodegeneration-related genes and proteins (including SORLA, TREM2, FUS) has led to an understanding of the role of vesicular transport, inflammation and perturbed RNA granule biology.
Peter has led an AD research programme as Professor of Experimental Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge since 2007.
In particular, he discovered several genes that when mutated lead to early onset hereditary AD, accelerating our understanding the disease and the development of potential treatments.
His discovery that defective genes encoding presenilins are a cause of familial AD led to presenilins becoming a new target for treatments.
Although more studies and tests are required, these findings could lead to a new drug that would regulate the progression of Alzheimer disease.
Sources:
Peter St George-Hyslop’s biography, Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Department of Medicine and Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, U of T
Alzheimer Society of Canada
Solving the Alzheimer Enigma
Image: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
The Person
- Birthdate
- July 10, 1953
- Birthplace
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Residence
- Toronto
- Family Members
- Wife: Vera
- Daughters: Nicola, Frances, and Sara
- Favorite Music
- Classical
- Other Interests
- Restoration of vintage sports cars
- Title
- Director
- Office
- Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Research Institute
- Status
- Working
- Degrees
- DSc (medicine) University of Ottawa, 1976
- MD Royal College of Physicians of Canada
- Awards
- Gold Medal in Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada, 1993
- Became a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, 1995
- Medical Research Council Scientist Award,1996
- Michael Smith International Scholar Award for Excellence of the Medical Research Council, 1997
- Howard Hughes Foundation International Scholar Award, 1997 and 2002
- Distinguished Scientist Award of the Canadian Society for Clinical Investigation, 1999
- Giacchino da Fiore Prize, 2000
- Shared the Neuroscience Research Excellence Award from the Japan Neuroscience Society, 2001
- Distinguished Scientist Award of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 2001
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada since 2002
- Last Updated
- April 8, 2015
- Popularity
- 44619
Personal Webpage
Profile viewed 44619 times
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In 1991, he was appointed to the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto as an Assistant Professor of Medicine and was promoted to Professor in 1996.This disorder affects approximately 10% of the population over age 65. No cure for this illness is known.
In 2000, St George-Hyslop, and his team of researches identified a key protein that causes nerve cell degeneration. In 2007, Professor St. George-Hyslop was appointed Professor of Experimental Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge.
Professor St.
George-Hyslop was awarded the Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Scholar Award in 1997 and 2002, the Gold Medal in Medicine from the Royal College of Physicians of Canada in 1994 and the Michael Smith Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in 1997. His research team employ genetic, molecular biological, cell biological, and animal modelling strategies to: 1) identify disease-causing genes; and 2) identify the molecular pathways by which these mutations or polymorphisms lead to neuronal death.
Educated at Wellington School, Wellington, Somerset, UK, Professor St.
George-Hyslop completed his medical training in Canada, graduating with an M.D. in 1976 and then pursuing post-doctoral research in internal medicine and neurology at the University of Toronto and Harvard Medical School. He was awarded the Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Scholar Award in both 1997 and 2002, and has received several other notable awards.
Professional position
- Director, Tanz Centre for Research In Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Toronto
- Professor of Experimental Neuroscience, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge
Subject groups
- Health and Human Sciences
Clinical neuroscience
- Molecules of Life
Biophysics and structural biology, Cell biology (incl molecular cell biology)
Awards
Dan David Prize
In the field of combating memory loss.
Professor Peter St.
George Hyslop, M.D., F.R.S., F.R.S.C., F.R.C.P.C.
Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow, Director for Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases at University of Toronto, Director of Cambridge Dementia Biomedical Research Unit, University of Cambridge
Professor St. George-Hyslop's research focuses upon understanding the causes and molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease and fronto-temporal dementia.
He conducted post-doctoral research at Harvard Medical School where he also became an instructor in molecular genetics and neurology from 1987 to 1991. Since 1995, he has served as the director of the Tanz Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine. He became a Director of the Centre for Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases in 1995.