John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre

The Newcastle Muscle Centre

The Newcastle Muscle Centre is part of the Institute of Genetic Medicine, a 5* research organisation within Newcastle University. It is a centre of excellence for diagnosis, management and research into inherited neuromuscular diseases. The Muscle Centre is one of three centres in England for the diagnosis and management of inherited muscle diseases which are supported by the British Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. The Muscle Centre runs clinics in Newcastle and at various locations across the north of England.

Professor Volker Straub heads the Centre and holds a  joint appointment between the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and the NHS. His time is split between research and clinical commitments, both of which are mainly focused on muscle disease.

Muscle Clinics

The muscle team runs children’s and adult clinics for over 1000 patients with a range of inherited neuromuscular diseases throughout the North of England. The main base for the children’s clinic is Newcastle General Hospital, and for adults the International Centre for Life. Paediatric clinics are also held at a range of other locations throughout the region, in conjunction with local physiotherapists and other local staff. We aim to ensure that all clinics are multidisciplinary and attended by members of the team, which includes our specialist physiotherapist Dr Michelle Eagle, specialist genetic nurses Gail Eglon and Louise Hastings, physiotherapy technical instructor Michelle McCallum and a Regional Care Advisor funded through the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign. We also have a programme of nurse-led clinics for myotonic dystrophy, with cardiological backup.

The clinic has collaborative links with colleagues in cardiology, respiratory support, orthopaedics, neuropathology and other specialties. We welcome visiting doctors and other staff for specialised training in neuromuscular disease diagnosis and management.

European and other international projects

As a centre of excellence for neuromuscular research, the Newcastle muscle centre is involved in a number of international projects. Click the links below to access the project websites.

EUCERD Joint Action
FOR-DMD
Magnetic Resonance in NMD
Neuromics
OPTMISITC
Rare Best Practices
RD-Connect
SKIP-NMD
SCOPE-NMD
TREAT-NMD

PEALS

The Policy Ethics and Life Sciences Research Centre (PEALS) is an internationally rated ‘think tank’ with a focus on identifying and examining social and ethical issues in Life Sciences research. We conduct pioneering research and facilitate dialogue between researchers and policymakers, scientists, health professionals, patient groups and industry. We aim to influence current and future agendas in the Life Sciences.

We run a lively and varied research programme that is both well established and highly regarded: locally, nationally and internationally. The Centre has a proven record in public engagement and involvement in regulatory and policy-making bodies.

Ongoing research in PEALS builds on our established areas of expertise in genetic and reproductive technologies and in disability studies, and on our growing areas of collaboration in ageing and nanotechnology. At the same time, we are responsive to new opportunities and are at the forefront of exploring emerging issues.