George Dickson

Professional background

George Dickson is Professor of Molecular Cell Biology at RHUL. He gained a BSc in Biochemistry at Strathclyde University in 1974 and a PhD at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School in 1979. He has spent most of his career studying neuromuscular disease and muscle cell biology, including the first cloning of an intact dystrophin gene, and discovery of the role of cell adhesion molecules in muscle stem cell fusion. In the 1980s, he was a NATO fellow working at the University of Marseilles, a Lister-Wolfson Fellow working at the Institute of Neurology (UCL) and a Senior Lecturer in Experimental Pathology at Guy’s Hospital Medical School (KCL). Since 1995, he has been Chair of Molecular Cell Biology at RHUL, and Head and Director of Research of the RHUL School of Biological Sciences. Professor Dickson has conducted notable research into developing systems for gene transfer and gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, for atherosclerosis, and more recently for genetic vaccination against HIV/AIDS. He is a platform leader in the Clinigene Network of Excellence promoting clinical gene therapy across the EU, a member of the UK MDEX Consortium conducting clinical trials of antisense therapy for DMD, a member of a Gates Foundation HIV Vaccine development consortium, and is currently President of the European Society of Gene Therapy and Secretary of the British Society for Gene Therapy. Before taking up the post of Director of SWAN-IBLS, he was Head of the School of Biological Sciences and Director of Research at RHUL.

Work related to the exon skipping project

The Dickson group was one of the first to describe and report on the use on antisense oligonucleotides to induce exon skipping with the dystrophin gene. This was work conducted by Dr Matthew Dunckley who later transferred to continue this work with Francesco Muntoni. More recently, with Dr Ian Graham, the group has demonstrated that the design of antisense oligonucleotides can be optimized and rationalized, and this work has contributed to finalizing development of the Exon 51 PMO reagent that is being clinically trialed by MDEX. As part of the consortium optimised PMO reagents for Exons 53, 46 and 44 are under development, and further work is ongoing across the DMD gene mutation spectrum: this is the work of Dr Linda Popplewell. In addition, Miss Francesca Thorogood, and Dr Alberto Malerba are conducting work developing ways of formulating and delivering PMOs directly through the blood stream to treat widespread dystrophic muscles.

Relevant references

1. Popplewell LJ, Trollet C, Dickson G, Graham IR. Design of phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs) for the induction of exon skipping of the human DMD gene. Mol Ther. 2009 Mar;17(3):554-61 

2. Popplewell LJ, Adkin C, Arechavala-Gomeza V, Aartsma-Rus A, van Deutekom JC, Wilton SD, Morgan JE, Dickson G, Muntoni F and Graham IR (2008) Targeted Skipping of Exon 53 of the Human DMD Gene: Recommendation of an Antisense Oligonucleotide for Clinical Trial. NMD (in press) 

3. Malerba A, Thorogood FC, Dickson G, Graham IR. Dosing regimen has a significant impact on the efficiency of morpholino oligomer-induced exon skipping in mdx mice. Hum Gene Ther 2009 Sep;20(9):955-65. PubMed PMID: 19469709 

4. Kinali M, Arechavala-Gomeza V, Feng L, Cirak S, Hunt D, Adkin C, Guglieri M, Ashton E, Abbs S, Nihoyannopoulos P, Garralda ME, Rutherford M, McCulley C, Popplewell L, Graham IR, Dickson G, Wood MJ, Wells DJ, Wilton SD, Kole R, Straub V, Bushby K, Sewry C, Morgan JE, Muntoni F. Local restoration of dystrophin expression with the morpholino oligomer AVI-4658 in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a single-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation, proof-of-concept study. Lancet Neurol. 2009 Oct;8(10):918-28. 19713152 

5. Patent application 61/164978-US has a PCT priority date of 11/09/2008 and relates to the development of PMO sequences for the targeted skipping of exons 44, 45, 46 and 53 and potential treatment of the human DMD gene. Filed by DICKSON, POPPLEWELL & GRAHAM /ROYAL HOLLOWAY AND BEDFORD NEW COLLEGE 

Links

http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Biological-Sciences/AcademicStaff/Dickson/

http://www.rhul.ac.uk/

http://www.clinigene.eu/

http://www.esgct.org/

http://www.bsgt.org.uk/

http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00159250

Contact details

Professor J George Dickson
President - European Society of Gene & Cell Therapy: http://www.ESGT.org
General Secretary - British Society for Gene Therapy: http://www.BSGT.org.uk

Director, Institute of Biomedical & Life Sciences
South West London Academic Network
[Royal Holloway UoL, St George's UoL & Kingston Universities]
http://www.swlacademicnetwork.ac.uk/
Mailing Address:
Chair of Molecular Cell Biology
School of Biological Sciences
Royal Holloway - University of London (RHUL)
Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK.
Direct Tel: 44-(0)1784-443545
Secretary Tel: 44-(0)1784-443559
Mobile: 07860-355309
Fax: 44-(0)1784 414224
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Web site: http://www.rhul.ac.uk/Biological-Sciences/AcademicStaff/Dickson/