Launched in November 2014, the Centre brings together and consolidates Newcastle’s distinguished, international and world-leading record in research and care for neuromuscular diseases.

Our team based at the Institute of Translational and Clinical Research, Newcastle University and its associated hospitals work together towards the development and application of genomic and translational medicine to improve the health outcomes of people living with neuromuscular diseases.

As a group, we have developed a close and important link between research and clinical activities and we actively pursue new partnerships with other stakeholders such as patient organisations, regulators and pharma.

The John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre is structured around five important strands of activity – clinical care, clinical research, diagnostics, basic research and strategic partnerships and networking – but all are strongly interlinked and the work across these teams is key to our success and impact in the neuromuscular field.

We are immensely proud to have continued to build, shape and develop this Centre’s team of international experts and to be leading them now under the auspicious name of Lord Walton who first established a dedicated and integrated neuromuscular clinical and research unit at Newcastle in the 1950s.

Professor Volker Straub
Professor Jordi Díaz-Manera
Doctor Michela Guglieri
Doctor Chiara Marini-Bettolo
Professor Giorgio Tasca
Emma Heslop