My interest in Huntington’s disease comes from meeting and talking to HD families as a junior doctor. From that point I knew I wanted to use my research background in biochemistry to develop new treatments to benefit those with HD. My lab’s studies in HD have focussed on identifying and targeting genetic modifiers as new drug targets but, as a clinician, I also see individuals with HD and their families in clinic, as well as conducting clinical trials. I currently co-chair the EHDN genetic modifiers working group and am co-chair elect of the UK HD network. Having this leadership experience and overview of the translational pipeline gives me a strong basis for strategic decision-making.

The EHDN provides a fantastic continent-wide foundation for HD research and development. But it could be improved further. If elected, I would push for changes in 3 main areas:

1. Improve support for early-career researchers. As a fairly new Principal Investigator I am acutely aware of how difficult it can be to climb the scientific ladder. I support increased seed funding as well as EHDN-endorsed PhD programmes that draw on the strong HD expertise across Europe. These initiatives will help recruit and retain talented young researchers in HD.
2. Embed those with lived-experience of HD more into EHDN structures. I am frequently surprised by insights from HD families and would do more to tap into their expertise.
3. Streamline EHDN-linked working groups and structures. The roles and responsibilities of different teams can overlap and be unclear at times. Reviewing and updating these regularly will add flexibility and efficiency to collaborations.