Photo of Professor Sebastian Brandner

Professor Sebastian Brandner

GMC/GDC number:

4785800

Please note that this consultant does not offer direct consultations to patients. Other consultants may refer to them to seek their expertise in your treatment.

Professional background

1991: Medical Degree, University of Göttingen, Germany
1998: Consultant neuropathologist, University Hospital Zurich, CH
2000: Habilitation (Venia Legendi) in Neuropathology University of Zurich
2003: MRCPath Neuropathology (RCPath)
2008: FRCPath Neuropathology
2001: Honorary consultant at the Division of Neuropathology QS, UCL and Sen-ior Neuropathologist, MRC
2000: Reader (Privatdozent) in Neuropathology; University of Zurich
1998: Oberarzt (consultant) at the Institute of Neuropathology, University Hos-pital Zürich, CH
1991: Medical Degree, University of Göttingen, Germany
1998: Consultant neuropathologist, University Hospital Zurich, CH
2001: Honorary consultant at the Division of Neuropathology UCLH
2004: Professor of neuropathology UCL, and honorary consultant Neuropathologist, UCLH

Diagnostic services

  • Molecular analysis of LOH 1p/19q in oligodendrogliomas: Set up in 2003/04, we are now offering this service to neuro-oncologists and neurosurgeons countrywide. LOH 1p/19q indicated favourable prognosis of oligodendrogliomas. This test is offered for £400.
  • Methylation of MGMT in malignant gliomas: In 2007 we added this test to determine methylation status of a Methyltransferase which determines sensitivity to Temozolamide. This test (£250) is frequently requested by external hospitals.
  • Post mortem of CJD: We are routinely performing post mortem examinations of prion diseases (ca 40 per year). Mostly, patient come through the National Prion clinic at Queen Square but we also get referrals from other hospitals. Our turnaround time from PM to diagnosis is ca three weeks.
  • Peripheral nerve diagnostic pathology: At present I am reporting ca 120 peripheral nerve biopsies per year, of which ca 80 are from Queen Square, and ca 40 are referred from other hospitals. I contributed to the ENMC (European Neuromuscular Centre) to provide guidelines for the diagnosis of Neuropathies. 
  • Integration of the paediatric neuromuscular centre pathology service into the Division of Neuropathology: The integration of this service into UCL/UCLH/ICH is a strategically important move to bring in top-class neuromuscular research and it considerably strengthens the position of the recently establishes MRC Neuromuscular centre. 

Research interests

  • Experimental models of brain tumour pathogenesis and their treatment
  • Development of molecular test technologies for rapid brain tumour diagnosis
  • Human transmission of misfolded proteins (prion protein, amyloid beta)

Languages spoken

German

Publications

Full list of publications

Key publications:

  • Brandner, S. (2011). "Diversity of prion diseases: (no) strains attached?" ActaNeuropathol 121(1): 1-4.
  • Reiniger, L., Lukic, A., Linehan, J., Rudge, P., Collinge, J., Mead, S. and Brandner, S. (2011). "Tau, prions and Abeta: the triad of neurodegeneration." Acta Neuropathol 121(1): 5-20.
  • Brandner, S. (2010). "Nanog, Gli, and p53: a new network of stemness in development and cancer." EMBO J 29(15): 2475-2476.
  • de Marco, M. F., Linehan, J., Gill, O. N., Clewley, J. P. and Brandner, S. (2010). "Large-scale immunohistochemical examination for lymphoreticular prion protein in tonsil specimens collected in Britain." J Pathol 222(4): 380-387.
  • Jacques, T. S., Swales, A., Brzozowski, M. J., Henriquez, N. V., Linehan, J. M., Mirzadeh, Z., C, O. M., Naumann, H., Alvarez-Buylla, A. and Brandner, S. (2010). "Combinations of genetic mutations in the adult neural stem cell compartment determine brain tumour phenotypes." EMBO J 29(1): 222-235.
  • Reiniger, L., Lukic, A., Linehan, J., Rudge, P., Collinge, J., Mead, S. and Brandner, S. (2010). "Tau, prions and Abeta: the triad of neurodegeneration." Acta Neuropathol.
  • Robinson, J. P., VanBrocklin, M. W., Guilbeault, A. R., Signorelli, D. L., Brandner, S. and Holmen, S. L. (2010). "Activated BRAF induces gliomas in mice when combined with Ink4a/Arf loss or Akt activation." Oncogene 29(3): 335-344.
  • Brandner, S., Whitfield, J., Boone, K., Puwa, A., O'Malley, C., Linehan, J. M., Joiner, S., Scaravilli, F., Calder, I., M, P. A., Wadsworth, J. D. and Collinge, J. (2008). "Central and peripheral pathology of kuru: pathological analysis of a recent case and comparison with other forms of human prion disease." Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 363(1510): 3755-3763.
  • Wadsworth, J. D., Joiner, S., Linehan, J. M., Desbruslais, M., Fox, K., Cooper, S., Cronier, S., Asante, E. A., Mead, S., Brandner, S., Hill, A. F. and Collinge, J. (2008). "Kuru prions and sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease prions have equivalent transmission properties in transgenic and wild-type mice." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105(10): 3885-3890.
  • White, M. D., Farmer, M., Mirabile, I., Brandner, S., Collinge, J. and Mallucci, G. R. (2008). "Single treatment with RNAi against prion protein rescues early neuronal dysfunction and prolongs survival in mice with prion disease." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105(29): 10238-10243.
  • Mallucci, G. R., White, M. D., Farmer, M., Dickinson, A., Khatun, H., Powell, A. D., Brandner, S., Jefferys, J. G. and Collinge, J. (2007). "Targeting cellular prion protein reverses early cognitive deficits and neurophysiological dysfunction in prion-infected mice." Neuron 53(3): 325-335.
  • Nayeem, N., Kerr, F., Naumann, H., Linehan, J., Lovestone, S. and Brandner, S. (2007). "Hyperphosphorylation of tau and neurofilaments and activation of CDK5 and ERK1/2 in PTEN-deficient cerebella." Mol Cell Neurosci 34(3): 400-408.
  • Haegele, L., Ingold, B., Naumann, H., Tabatabai, G., Ledermann, B. and Brandner, S. (2003). "Wnt signalling inhibits neural differentiation of embryonic stem cells by controlling bone morphogenetic protein expression." Mol Cell Neurosci 24(3): 696-708.
  • Mallucci, G., Dickinson, A., Linehan, J., Klohn, P. C., Brandner, S. and Collinge, J. (2003). "Depleting neuronal PrP in prion infection prevents disease and reverses spongiosis." Science 302(5646): 871-874.
  • Marino, S., Hoogervoorst, D., Brandner, S. and Berns, A. (2003). "Rb and p107 are required for normal cerebellar development and granule cell survival but not for Purkinje cell persistence." Development 130(15): 3359-3368.
  • Marino, S., Krimpenfort, P., Leung, C., van der Korput, H. A., Trapman, J., Camenisch, I., Berns, A. and Brandner, S. (2002). "PTEN is essential for cell migration but not for fate determination and tumourigenesis in the cerebellum." Development 129(14): 3513-3522.