Queen Square Inaugural Lecture: Professor Gabriele Lignani

Professor Lignani undertook his PhD degree in Experimental Neuroscience at the University of Genova in collaboration with Italian Institute of Technology, following a BSc in Medical Biotechnologies at the University of Milan and MSc in Medical-pharmaceutical Biotechnologies (Neuroscience) at the University of Genova.

He joined UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology (IoN) as a Research Associate in 2014, and was a Research Fellow at IoN from 2014-18. He became Senior and then Principal Research Fellow at ION, before becoming an Associate Professor in 2022, when he also founded the EpilesyGTx company. He is the theme lead for advance therapies and disease modifications at the Epilepsy Research Institute UK which was founded in 2023.

Professor Lignani has received numerous awards and fellowships including Horizon 2020- Marie Curie Individual fellowship (2016-18); Epilepsy Research UK Emerging Leader fellowship (2018-21); Young Investigator Harinarayan Award by International League against Epilepsy (ILAE) in 2021; Honorary Ambassador of Genova (Italy) in the World by the Mayor of Genova in 2022; Michael Prize for the best scientific contribution to progress in the field of Epilepsy in 2023; and ILAE European Young Investigator in 2024. He became Athena Swan Lead at the ION in 2022.

Professor Lignani's lab focusses on finding novel gene therapy approaches for intractable neurological diseases, with rapid potential for translation, using cutting-edge molecular technologies such as CRISPR and novel promoters to overcome current limitations to gene therapy and develop new approaches for currently untreatable neurodevelopmental genetic diseases such as Dravet Syndrome, Focal Cortical Dysplasia, Episodic Ataxia Type 1 and Autism Spectrum Disorders. 

The lab also researches novel therapies for adult neurological diseases such as acquired pharmaco-resistant epilepsies and Alzheimer’s disease, and developed the first gene therapy approach based on CRISPR to cure genetic epilepsies caused by haploinsufficiency and acquired pharmaco-resistance epilepsies. He also founded epilepsy gene therapy spinout company (EpilepsyGTx), with other UCL colleagues (Profs Dimitri Kullmann, Matthew Walker and Stephanie Schorge) and support from UCL Business (UCLB) and the UCL Tech Fund. 

“Delivering my inaugural lecture was a truly wonderful experience. As I prepared for the lecture, I recalled about many precious memories from my childhood and scientific career. Most importantly, I was reminded of the many people who helped me achieve this dream. I am deeply grateful to my family for their unwavering support. I extend my deepest thanks to my former supervisors—Professors Benfenati, Baldelli, Schorge, and Kullmann—whose guidance made this achievement possible. I also want to thank all my lab members, whose belief in me and hard work were crucial in reaching this milestone. Additionally, I would like to thank my collaborators and colleagues with whom I shared ideas. Special thanks go to Professor Plun-Favreau and Professor Kullmann for the opening, closing, and vote of thanks. Finally, I am profoundly thankful to the Institute of Neurology for giving me this opportunity.” Professor Gabriele Lignani