Kevin Ziegler

Project Title: Exploration of enhancer landscapes in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) patients with the aim to reveal signalling pathways associated with the disease pathogenesis
Supervisor: Dr Alexi Nott
Location: Level 7, Sir Michael Uren Hub, White City Campus, 86 Wood Lane, W12 0BZ

About Me

I am a graduate student in the Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College London sponsored by the UK Dementia Research Institute (UKDRI). Before starting my PhD in the Nott lab, I completed both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in biotechnology at Hochschule Mannheim, University of Applied Sciences. During this time, I took the opportunity to gain research experience at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, the Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas, and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). After various experiences in research, I realised that my curiosity was primarily focused on deciphering the many questions surrounding the brain and applying the latest multi-omics technologies to answer them.

Outside of the lab, you will likely find me refining my pasta-making and barista skills, while also exploring a variety of hobbies and interests.

Qualifications

August 2018 – August 2020: MSc Biotechnology Hochschule Mannheim, University of Applied Sciences, Germany
October 2014 – August 2018: BSc Biotechnology Hochschule Mannheim, University of Applied Sciences, Germany

Research Interests

Having witnessed my grandfather suffer from vascular dementia for almost a decade, I dedicated my PhD to researching the vascular component of the brain in the context of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Recognizing that AD is predominantly influenced by genetics, particularly with a significant portion of AD genetic risk variants located in non-coding regions, my approach is to investigate the environmentally responsive enhancer landscape of cerebrovascular cell types. By combining various enrichment strategies tailored for cerebrovascular cell types with an epigenetic assay called CUT&Tag, which enables the examination of regulatory elements such as active enhancers across the entire genome, I aim to elucidate at the bulk and single-cell level whether cerebrovascular-specific enhancers are impacted by AD genetic risk variants.

Awards

The Guarantors of Brain travel grant (2023)
EMBO Scientific Exchange Grant (2023)

Presentations and Conferences

Flash talk and poster presentation, CURE-ND 2024
Title: The brain neurovascular epigenome and its association with Alzheimer’s disease

Poster presentation, UK DRI Vascular Theme Workshop 2024
Title: The brain neurovascular epigenome and its association with Alzheimer’s disease

Flash talk and poster presentation, UK Dementia Research Institute Connectome 2023
Title: The brain neurovascular epigenome and its association with Alzheimer’s disease

Poster presentation, Cerebral Vascular Biology CVB 2023 Conference
Title: The brain neurovascular epigenome and its association with Alzheimer’s disease.

Poster presentation, Joint Symposium Imperial BHF CRE and UK DRI 2023
Title: The brain neurovascular epigenome and its association with Alzheimer’s disease

Flash talk and poster presentation, UK Dementia Research Institute Connectome 2022
Title: The brain neurovascular epigenome and its association with Alzheimer’s disease

Poster presentation, Annual German Stem Cell Network (GSCN) Conference 2020
Title: The role of Wnt signaling in GBM progression

Contact Details

Email: kevin.ziegler@ukdri.ac.uk
LinkedIn: KevinCZiegler

How temperature and circadian rhythms intersect to regulate a protein shown to protect against neurodegeneration

A new study led by Dr Marco Brancaccio (UK DRI at Imperial) and Dr Marieke Hoekstra (former UK DRI at Imperial, now VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research) offers a deeper insight into how a neuroprotective pathway is regulated both by temperature and the body clock. This research, published in the journal PNAS, could open up new therapeutic avenues for neurodegenerative disease. Read more on the UK DRI website

Introducing Cynthia Sandor: Pioneering earlier detection of Parkinson’s

Dr Cynthia Sandor, former Emerging Leader at the UK DRI at Cardiff, joins the UK DRI at Imperial as a Group Leader, where she will be tackling early diagnosis of Parkinson’s.

With a background in genetics, Dr Sandor uses computational methods to bring greater understanding to the underlying molecular mechanisms of Parkinson’s. Read more about Cynthia's work on the UK DRI website.

Ageing brain fails to control neuronal activity with consequences for cognition

Age-linked cognitive decline findings from our UK DRI Centre

Ageing brain fails to control neuronal activity with consequences for cognition, according to a study led by Dr Sam Barnes and Dr Carola Radulescu. Read more on the UK DRI website.

Ancient DNA reveals reason for high MS and Alzheimer’s rates in Europe

Groundbreaking study of ancient genes provides brand new biological understanding of debilitating disorders

Researchers have created the world’s largest ancient human gene bank by analysing the bones and teeth of almost 5,000 humans who lived across western Europe and Asia up to 34,000 years ago. By sequencing ancient human DNA and comparing it to modern-day samples, the international team of experts mapped the historical spread of genes – and diseases – over time as populations migrated.

Read more on the University of Cambridge website.

Health Minister visits White City to see pioneering dementia research

The Minister for Health and Secondary Care Andrew Stephenson MP visited the UK Dementia Research Institute at White City.

The new Minister for Health and Secondary Care Andrew Stephenson MP visited Imperial's White City Campus yesterday to see the work of the UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre based at the Sir Michael Uren Hub. The Minister was hosted by Professor Deborah Ashby, Interim Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and Professor Siddharthan Chandran, Director of the UK Dementia Research Institute. Read more on the Imperial news website.

New non-invasive form of deep brain stimulation could provide alternative treatment for brain diseases

Cutting-edge work led by Imperial PI Dr Nir Grossman makes national press

Scientists from the UK Dementia Research Institute centre at Imperial College London featured on ITV News and in national newspapers. Read more on the Imperial website and the UK DRI website.

Imperial named UK’s best university

Imperial College London is ranked top of a new league table of UK universities.

Imperial has also been named University of the Year in the league table, published by the Daily Mail, and is praised for its "sustained excellence in all areas” alongside its commitment to social inclusion, including generous bursary support.

Read full article.

The UK Dementia Research Institute is a joint £290 million investment from the Medical Research Council (MRC), Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK.