Dr Mathew Horrocks MRSC

Winner: 2022 Analytical Division early career award: Joseph Black Award

The University of Edinburgh

For the development and application of single-molecule and super-resolution microscopy approaches to understand how proteins aggregate in neurodegenerative diseases.

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Neurodegenerative disorders affect 850,000 people in the UK, and with an ageing population, this number is expected to rise to 1,000,000 by 2025. In addition to the major personal burden of these diseases, each year dementia costs the UK an estimated £26 billion, a number which is also expected to increase. Of these disorders, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are the most common. Both diseases can only be diagnosed clinically based on patient symptoms, with confirmation post mortem. There are currently no suitable biomarkers, which is a result of a shortfall in the technologies sensitive enough to detect potential targets. The lack of an early diagnosis also limits the development of therapeutic interventions. By the time the symptoms become evident, much of the damage in the brain has occurred, and this is currently irreversible.

In both diseases, small protein clumps – called oligomers – form in the brain and are difficult to study due to their structure and size. Mathew has spent his research career developing powerful microscopy methods to see and characterise these disease-causing agents.

This research is increasing our understanding of how oligomers are formed, how they cause damage, and how cells respond to prevent damage.

Read winner biography

Dr Mathew Horrocks was born and brought up in Halifax, West Yorkshire. He studied chemistry at Oriel College, University of Oxford, gaining a 1st Class Honours in 2010. He did his Master's project with Professor Mark Wallace, where he was first introduced to single-molecule microscopy techniques. Following this, he moved to the University of Cambridge to undertake an ACTF-funded PhD with Professor Sir David Klenerman, developing microscopy techniques to study the protein aggregates formed in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

After obtaining his PhD in 2014, Mathew moved to the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute in New South Wales, Australia. He returned to Cambridge in 2016 to start a Junior Research Fellowship at Christ’s College, and a Herchel Smith Fellowship at the University of Cambridge.

In 2018, Mathew moved to the University of Edinburgh to take up a lectureship in chemistry. He established the Edinburgh Single-Molecule Biophysics Group who use and develop single-molecule and super-resolution microscopy approaches to study biological systems.

Mathew now lives with his partner and two daughters in the small town of Peebles. When not in the lab, he enjoys competing in triathlons, and has completed an Ironman in Weymouth (2016).

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

I have always had an interest in understanding how things work. To the dismay of my parents, I would generally take toys apart as a kid to look at how they functioned, rather than just play with them. My specific interest in chemistry was sparked at secondary school, when I was selected to attend a Salter's Chemistry Camp at the University of York. It was here that I got to learn about how chemistry can be used to not only understand our surroundings, but also change them.

Who or what has inspired you?

I have been lucky to have so many inspirational mentors throughout my research career. I have been particularly inspired by my PhD supervisor, Professor Sir David Klenerman, who is always able to interpret how our results fit into the broader research picture. I also found working with Professor Sir Chris Dobson a massively inspirational experience; I always left meetings with him feeling extremely positive about science!

What motivates you?

Neurodegenerative disorders cause much suffering to those living with them and their carers, and it is the hope that we will one day be able to diagnose them earlier and find a cure that motivates me. It is also motivational that so many people support charities such as Alzheimer's Research UK who then fund our research.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

Go for it! Chemistry is such a broad science, and so I'd encourage anyone interested in science in general to consider a career in chemistry. It's great to read science magazines, such as Chemistry World, as well as general text books. I'd also advise reaching out to your local university to see if it's possible to visit or attend an open day.

Can you tell us about a scientific development on the horizon that you are excited about?

I'm really excited about the role of super-resolution microscopy in medicine in the future. The microscopes we've built have always required using lasers in dark rooms, but the development of bench top microscopes will allow the methods we work on to be directly translated into the clinic.

Why do you think teamwork is important in science?

Teamwork is key for successful science. Each of us has our own unique training and experiences, and it is through bringing these together in a team that we can solve some of the most challenging problems.