Will McEwan
I am a viral immunologist by training. My research has focused on cytoplasmic mechanisms that detect and inactivate viruses shortly after their entry to the cell. From 2009 to 2017 I worked in the lab of Dr Leo James at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, where I co-discovered and characterised the novel antibody receptor TRIM21 as a potent antiviral sensor. In recent years I have been asking whether intracellular antibodies can be used to specifically degrade cellular proteins. This has led me into the field of protein misfolding. I am fascinated in the parallels between templated protein misfolding and viral infection and the shared mechanisms that may limit their spread.
Aamir Mukadam
Post-doctoral research associate
I have been interested in neurodegeneration from my MSc, and following on from myPhD, I knew that I wanted to focus my career on understanding the mechanisms of neurodegeneration. I carried out my PhD at the Babraham Institute, where I worked on the interaction between GIMAP6, a member of a family of small GTPases that play a role in maintaining lymphocyte populations, and GABARAPL2, an Atg8 homologue. This gave me an insight into autophagy and aspects of cell biology and equipped me for work in the Seaman group, which is based in the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. Here I was given the opportunity to work on analysing the role endosome-to-Golgi trafficking plays in the trafficking and processing of the amyloid precursor protein and I have identified an important role for PLD3 in this process. Following on from this project, I was keen to broaden my knowledge of neurodegeneration further, and to this end, my project in the McEwan lab will focus on investigating the mechanisms via which TRIM21 can degrade antibody-bound aggregates in animal models of disease with the aim of uncovering the implications this has for various neurodegenerative disorders.
Annabel Smith
Research Assistant
I recently completed my BSc Medical Sciences specialising in Neuroscience at the University of Exeter. As part of this course, I undertook a 12-month placement at the UK DRI, Cambridge working on a collaborative project between the McEwan and Klenerman groups. During this project, I investigated the aggregation of different tau isoforms. To further pursue my interest in neurodegeneration, I have now returned to the McEwan lab as a Research Assistant, where I will be investigating the role of co-factors in tau aggregation.
Sophie Keeling
Research Assistant
In 2017, I graduated from the University of Warwick with a BSc in Biomedical Science. My final year project biochemically characterised a novel tau mutation, S356T identified in patients with FTD. Intrigued by the complexity of the human brain, I applied for the interdisciplinary MSc Neuroscience programme as part of the Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences at the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich. During this two-year MSc, I worked in the lab of Dr Irina Dudanova investigating the mechanism of action of a neuroprotective growth factor in cell culture models of Huntington’s disease. My passion for the clinical and patient-focused aspects of medical science led me to work as an Analyst for Costello Medical Consulting, Cambridge for 18-months, where I worked on a range of projects to support the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector. Whilst fascinating to gain insight into the later stages of novel therapy development, I am very excited to return to the bench as part of Will’s group, where I am working on antibody entry in neurons in relation to antibody-TRIM21 mediated degradation of misfolded proteins, in particular tau.
Anna Brown
Research Assistant
I completed my MBio in Biomedical Science at Warwick university in 2023. During my degree I worked on several projects, working on RNA-binding proteins in embryonic development, and later, chromatin remodelling proteins and their influence in stem cell differentiation. During my master’s I worked with Professor Dimitris Grammatopoulos at the Warwick Medical School investigating the link between gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. I joined the McEwan lab as a Research Assistant in January 2024
Matt Reid
Post-doctoral research associate
My interest in neurodegeneration began during my neuroscience MSc at King’s College London, where I was captivated by the complexities of the field and progress still to be made. After gaining experience as a stem cell technician, I pursued a PhD in the Noble group at KCL as part of an MRC training programme, using mouse and stem cell models to investigate astrocytic responses to brain derived tau aggregates. Drawn to the McEwan group’s innovative approaches to neurodegenerative diseases, I am now applying my experience to discovery science in Alzheimer’s disease.
Ella Lacey
PhD Student
After witnessing my grandmother’s experience with dementia, I was driven to specialise my BSc Biomedical Sciences degree from the University of Bath towards molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease. To pursue this interest further, I undertook a year-long placement in neurogenetics with the Yankner Lab at Harvard Medical School, where I researched the role of the transcriptional repressor REST and characterised novel pharmacological REST activators in mouse models of ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. After completing my undergraduate degree in 2023, I took a year out to work for Cure CLCN4, a family-led rare neurodevelopmental disease charity which aimed to support individuals with the CLCN4-related condition. The amalgamation of my experiences led me apply for a PhD at the University of Cambridge under the Doctoral Training Program in Medical Research. After undertaking a 3-month rotation with the Rubinsztein Lab, investigating the link between autophagy and microglial function, I am excited to be joining the McEwan Lab to study the role of type I interferon in Alzheimer’s disease for my PhD!
Laura Li Yu
PhD Student
Having always been interested in human physiology, I studied Biomedical sciences at UCL doing my thesis with Dr Dervis Salih on interferon responsive microglia in Alzheimer’s disease. I continued my interest in ageing and Alzheimer’s disease by doing a MRes in Neurotechnology at Imperial College using focused ultrasound as a neuromodulatory technique in the Morse Lab. I joined in the fall of 2025 Will’s group to do a PhD on the role of tau assemblies in the development of pathological dysfunction and cell death in neurodegenerative diseases.
McEwan Lab 