Institute

Research Theme Beyond the Neuron

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Professor Alastair Compston

University Position

Emeritus Professor

Interests

My research interests focus on clinical and experimental demyelinating disease with an emphasis on multiple sclerosis - the commonest potentially disabling disease of young adults. The research group has a broad set of interests: we work on the aetiology with international collaborations in genetics involving large-scale whole genome screens for factors that confer susceptibility and influence disease progression; in neurobiology, we study interactions between glia and axons, and the potential role of human stem cells as 'medicines' for limiting and the repairing the damage; our work in therapeutic immunology has used the monoclonal antibody Campath-1H (Alemtuzimab) both to treat patients and to understand mechanisms of tissue injury that determine the clinical course of the disease. I no longer accept PhD applications.

Key Publications

Alemtuzumab more effective than interferon β-1a at 5-year follow-up of CAMMS223 clinical trial.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e31824e8ee7
Journal: Neurology
E-pub date: 3 Apr 2012
Authors: AJ Coles, E Fox, A Vladic, SK Gazda, V Brinar, KW Selmaj, A Skoromets, I Stolyarov, A Bass, H Sullivan, DH Margolin, SL Lake, S Moran, J Palmer, MS Smith, DAS Compston

Alemtuzumab versus interferon β-1a in early relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: post-hoc and subset analyses of clinical efficacy outcomes.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/S1474-4422(11)70020-5
Journal: The Lancet Neurology
E-pub date: 1 Apr 2011
Authors: AJ Coles, E Fox, A Vladic, SK Gazda, V Brinar, KW Selmaj, AD-D Bass, DR Wynn, DH Margolin, SL Lake, S Moran, J Palmer, MS Smith, DAS Compston

Association of the human leucocyte antigen region with susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2008.162883
Journal: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
E-pub date: 31 Aug 2010
Authors: M Saiki, A Baker, CH Williams-Gray, T Foltynie, RS Goodman, CJ Taylor, DAS Compston, RA Barker, SJ Sawcer, A Goris

A novel strategy to reduce the immunogenicity of biological therapies.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.1000422
Journal: J Immunol
E-pub date: 1 Jul 2010
Authors: J Somerfield, GA Hill-Cawthorne, A Lin, MS Zandi, C McCarthy, JL Jones, M Willcox, D Shaw, SAJ Thompson, AS Compston, G Hale, H Waldmann, AJ Coles

IL-21 drives secondary autoimmunity in patients with multiple sclerosis, following therapeutic lymphocyte depletion with alemtuzumab (Campath-1H).

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1172/JCI37878
Journal: J Clin Invest
E-pub date: 1 Jul 2009
Authors: JL Jones, C-L Phuah, AL Cox, SA Thompson, M Ban, J Shawcross, A Walton, SJ Sawcer, A Compston, AJ Coles

Apolipoprotein E genotype as a risk factor for susceptibility to and dementia in Parkinson’s disease.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-009-0119-8
Journal: J Neurol
E-pub date: 1 Mar 2009
Authors: CH Williams-Gray, A Goris, M Saiki, T Foltynie, DAS Compston, SJ Sawcer, RA Barker

Alemtuzumab vs. interferon beta-1a in early multiple sclerosis.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa0802670
Journal: N Engl J Med
E-pub date: 23 Oct 2008
Authors: CAMMS223 Trial Investigators, AJ Coles, DAS Compston, KW Selmaj, SL Lake, S Moran, DH Margolin, K Norris, PK Tandon

Tau and alpha-synuclein in susceptibility to, and dementia in, Parkinson’s disease.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/ana.21192
Journal: Ann Neurol
E-pub date: 31 Aug 2007
Authors: A Goris, CH Williams-Gray, GR Clark, T Foltynie, SJG Lewis, J Brown, M Ban, MG Spillantini, A Compston, DJ Burn, PF Chinnery, RA Barker, SJ Sawcer

Transient increase in symptoms associated with cytokine release in patients with multiple sclerosis.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1093/brain/119.1.225
Journal: Brain
E-pub date: 1 Feb 1996
Authors: T Moreau, A Coles, M Wing, J Isaacs, G Hale, H Waldmann, A Compston

Publications

Infection risk with alemtuzumab decreases over time: pooled analysis of 6-year data from the CAMMS223, CARE-MS I, and CARE-MS II studies and the CAMMS03409 extension study.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/1352458518796675
Journal: Mult Scler
E-pub date: 1 Oct 2019
Authors: S Wray, E Havrdova, DR Snydman, DL Arnold, JA Cohen, AJ Coles, H-P Hartung, KW Selmaj, HL Weiner, N Daizadeh, DH Margolin, MC Chirieac, DAS Compston

Alemtuzumab CARE-MS II 5-year follow-up: Efficacy and safety findings.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000004354
Journal: Neurology
E-pub date: 12 Sep 2017
Authors: AJ Coles, JA Cohen, EJ Fox, G Giovannoni, H-P Hartung, E Havrdova, S Schippling, KW Selmaj, A Traboulsee, DAS Compston, DH Margolin, K Thangavelu, MC Chirieac, D Jody, P Xenopoulos, RJ Hogan, MA Panzara, DL Arnold, CARE-MS II and CAMMS03409 Investigators

Alemtuzumab CARE-MS I 5-year follow-up: Durable efficacy in the absence of continuous MS therapy.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000004313
Journal: Neurology
E-pub date: 12 Sep 2017
Authors: E Havrdova, DL Arnold, JA Cohen, H-P Hartung, EJ Fox, G Giovannoni, S Schippling, KW Selmaj, A Traboulsee, DAS Compston, DH Margolin, K Thangavelu, CE Rodriguez, D Jody, RJ Hogan, P Xenopoulos, MA Panzara, AJ Coles, CARE-MS I and CAMMS03409 Investigators

Alemtuzumab improves preexisting disability in active relapsing-remitting MS patients.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000003319
Journal: Neurology
E-pub date: 8 Nov 2016
Authors: G Giovannoni, JA Cohen, AJ Coles, H-P Hartung, E Havrdova, KW Selmaj, DH Margolin, SL Lake, SM Kaup, MA Panzara, DAS Compston, CARE-MS II Investigators

Superior MRI outcomes with alemtuzumab compared with subcutaneous interferon β-1a in MS.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000003169
Journal: Neurology
E-pub date: 4 Oct 2016
Authors: DL Arnold, E Fisher, VV Brinar, JA Cohen, AJ Coles, G Giovannoni, H-P Hartung, E Havrdova, KW Selmaj, M Stojanovic, HL Weiner, SL Lake, DH Margolin, DR Thomas, MA Panzara, DAS Compston, CARE-MS I and CARE-MS II Investigators

Lymphocyte subset dynamics following alemtuzumab treatment in patients who relapsed on a prior therapy

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneuroim.2014.08.167
Journal: JOURNAL OF NEUROIMMUNOLOGY
E-pub date: 1 Aug 2014
Authors: LH Kasper, DL Arnold, AJ Coles, H-P Hartung, E Havrdova, KW Selmaj, J Palmer, DH Margolin, MA Panzara, DAS Compston

Predicting autoimmunity after alemtuzumab treatment of multiple sclerosis.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp-2013-307042
Journal: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
E-pub date: 1 Jul 2014
Authors: L Azzopardi, SAJ Thompson, KE Harding, M Cossburn, N Robertson, A Compston, AJ Coles, JL Jones

Accelerated lymphocyte recovery after alemtuzumab does not predict multiple sclerosis activity.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000000520
Journal: Neurology
E-pub date: 17 Jun 2014
Authors: O Kousin-Ezewu, L Azzopardi, RA Parker, O Tuohy, A Compston, A Coles, J Jones

Human autoimmunity after lymphocyte depletion is caused by homeostatic T-cell proliferation.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1313654110
Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
E-pub date: 10 Dec 2013
Authors: JL Jones, SAJ Thompson, P Loh, JL Davies, OC Tuohy, AJ Curry, L Azzopardi, G Hill-Cawthorne, MT Fahey, A Compston, AJ Coles

Immune competence after alemtuzumab treatment of multiple sclerosis.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e3182a35215
Journal: Neurology
E-pub date: 3 Sep 2013
Authors: CL McCarthy, O Tuohy, DAS Compston, DS Kumararatne, AJ Coles, JL Jones

Magnetization transfer imaging in multiple sclerosis treated with alemtuzumab.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/1352458512444915
Journal: Mult Scler
E-pub date: 1 Feb 2013
Authors: T Button, D Altmann, D Tozer, C Dalton, K Hunter, A Compston, A Coles, D Miller

Alemtuzumab for patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis after disease-modifying therapy: a randomised controlled phase 3 trial.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61768-1
Journal: The Lancet
E-pub date: 1 Nov 2012
Authors: AJ Coles, CL Twyman, DL Arnold, JA Cohen, C Confavreux, EJ Fox, H-P Hartung, E Havrdova, KW Selmaj, HL Weiner, T Miller, E Fisher, R Sandbrink, SL Lake, DH Margolin, P Oyuela, MA Panzara, DAS Compston, CARE-MS II investigators

Alemtuzumab versus interferon beta 1a as first-line treatment for patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a randomised controlled phase 3 trial.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61769-3
Journal: The Lancet
E-pub date: 1 Nov 2012
Authors: JA Cohen, AJ Coles, DL Arnold, C Confavreux, EJ Fox, H-P Hartung, E Havrdova, KW Selmaj, HL Weiner, E Fisher, VV Brinar, G Giovannoni, M Stojanovic, BI Ertik, SL Lake, DH Margolin, MA Panzara, DAS Compston, CARE-MS I investigators

Predicting Autoimmunity Following Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis with Alemtuzumab

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.clim.2010.03.310
Journal: CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
E-pub date: 1 Aug 2010
Authors: J Jones, A Compston, A Coles

No evidence for association between an MAOA functional polymorphism and susceptibility to Parkinson’s disease.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-009-0899-x
Journal: J Neurol
E-pub date: 1 Jan 2009
Authors: C Williams-Gray, A Goris, T Foltynie, A Compston, S Sawcer, RA Barker

Investigation of TGFB2 as a candidate gene in multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-006-0414-6
Journal: J Neurol
E-pub date: 1 Jul 2007
Authors: A Goris, CH Williams-Gray, T Foltynie, J Brown, M Maranian, A Walton, DAS Compston, RA Barker, SJ Sawcer

No evidence for association with Parkinson disease for 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified by whole-genome association screening.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1086/504726
Journal: Am J Hum Genet
E-pub date: 1 Jun 2006
Authors: A Goris, CH Williams-Gray, T Foltynie, DAS Compston, RA Barker, SJ Sawcer

No alterations in alpha-synuclein gene dosage observed in sporadic Parkinson’s disease.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1002/mds.20863
Journal: Mov Disord
E-pub date: 1 May 2006
Authors: CH Williams-Gray, A Goris, T Foltynie, J Brown, M Maranian, A Walton, DA Compston, SJ Sawcer, RA Barker

Prevalence of the LRRK2 G2019S mutation in a UK community based idiopathic Parkinson’s disease cohort.

DOI: http://doi.org/10.1136/jnnp.2005.085019
Journal: J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
E-pub date: 1 May 2006
Authors: CH Williams-Gray, A Goris, T Foltynie, J Brown, M Maranian, A Walton, DAS Compston, SJ Sawcer, RA Barker