Dr. Mary Mcmenamin

Biography

Mary McMenamin is a Departmental Lecturer at the Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics at the University of Oxford, where she has been a member since 1994. She became a departmental lecturer in 2007 and is part of Professor Matthew Wood’s group, focusing on gene therapy for degenerative disorders of the nervous system. Her work involves developing gene delivery vehicles, predominantly viral vectors, for the brain, relevant to the creation of novel therapies for various neurological diseases including Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. A significant aspect of her research includes investigating neuropathological damage, particularly the immune response elicited by viral vectors during brain delivery. Despite advancements in viral vector technology, challenges remain in direct injection methods to achieve ideal gene therapeutics for the nervous system, especially concerning the blood-brain barrier (BBB) that restricts passage of substances into the brain. Understanding the nature of the BBB is crucial for developing successful delivery methods for neurotherapeutics, as it poses a major hurdle to effective treatment. McMenamin’s interests also extend to the role of BBB integrity in health and disease, particularly its involvement in neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive dysfunction.

Research Interests