Sarah Tabrizi

Tabrizi graduated with a first-class degree in biochemistry from Heriot-Watt University in 1986 and an MB ChB from the University of Edinburgh in 1992, where she graduated with the Gold Medal (Ettles Scholar) for the most distinguished medical graduate. She obtained a PhD at University College London in 2000. During her time as a trainee neurologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), Queen Square, Sarah worked for Professors Anita Harding and David Marsden, both of whom would make a lasting impression on her.{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60884-8 |pmid=22656876 |title=Sarah Tabrizi: Tracking Huntington's disease |journal=The Lancet |volume=379 |issue=9831 |pages=2043 |year=2012 |last1=Shetty |first1=Priya |s2cid=40222846 }} She undertook an MRC Clinical Training Fellowship PhD studying mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegeneration with Tony Schapira and Gillian Bates from 1996 to 1999 then obtained a Department of Health National Clinician Scientist Fellowship at the UCL Institute of Neurology in 2002 to work with John Collinge and Charles Weissmann on prion cell biology. She was promoted to UCL Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Neurologist in 2003, to Reader in 2007 and Full Professor in 2009.{{cite web |title=Professor Sarah J Tabrizi |url=https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=SJTAB21 |website=UCL Iris}}

Tabrizi is distinguished for her work on mechanisms of cellular neurodegeneration{{cite journal |last1=Deriziotis |first1=Pelagia |last2=André |first2=Ralph |last3=Smith |first3=David M |last4=Goold |first4=Rob |last5=Kinghorn |first5=Kerri J |last6=Kristiansen |first6=Mark |last7=Nathan |first7=James A |last8=Rosenzweig |first8=Rina |last9=Krutauz |first9=Dasha |last10=Glickman |first10=Michael H |last11=Collinge |first11=John |last12=Goldberg |first12=Alfred L |last13=Tabrizi |first13=Sarah J |title=Misfolded PrP impairs the UPS by interaction with the 20S proteasome and inhibition of substrate entry |journal=The EMBO Journal |date=8 July 2011 |volume=30 |issue=15 |pages=3065–3077 |doi=10.1038/emboj.2011.224|pmid=21743439 |pmc=3160194 }}{{cite journal |last1=Kristiansen |first1=Mark |last2=Messenger |first2=Marcus J. |last3=Klöhn |first3=Peter-Christian |last4=Brandner |first4=Sebastian |last5=Wadsworth |first5=Jonathan D. F. |last6=Collinge |first6=John |last7=Tabrizi |first7=Sarah J. |title=Disease-related Prion Protein Forms Aggresomes in Neuronal Cells Leading to Caspase Activation and Apoptosis |journal=Journal of Biological Chemistry |date=18 November 2005 |volume=280 |issue=46 |pages=38851–38861 |doi=10.1074/jbc.M506600200|pmid=16157591 |doi-access=free }}{{cite journal |last1=Kristiansen |first1=Mark |last2=Deriziotis |first2=Pelagia |last3=Dimcheff |first3=Derek E. |last4=Jackson |first4=Graham S. |last5=Ovaa |first5=Huib |last6=Naumann |first6=Heike |last7=Clarke |first7=Anthony R. |last8=van Leeuwen |first8=Fijs W.B. |last9=Menéndez-Benito |first9=Victoria |last10=Dantuma |first10=Nico P. |last11=Portis |first11=John L. |last12=Collinge |first12=John |last13=Tabrizi |first13=Sarah J. |title=Disease-Associated Prion Protein Oligomers Inhibit the 26S Proteasome |journal=Molecular Cell |date=April 2007 |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=175–188 |doi=10.1016/j.molcel.2007.04.001|pmid=17466621 |hdl=11858/00-001M-0000-0012-2650-5 |hdl-access=free }}{{cite journal |last1=Goold |first1=R. |last2=Rabbanian |first2=S. |last3=Sutton |first3=L. |last4=Andre |first4=R. |last5=Arora |first5=P. |last6=Moonga |first6=J. |last7=Clarke |first7=A.R. |last8=Schiavo |first8=G. |last9=Jat |first9=P. |last10=Collinge |first10=J. |last11=Tabrizi |first11=S.J. |title=Rapid cell-surface prion protein conversion revealed using a novel cell system |journal=Nature Communications |date=19 April 2011 |volume=2 |issue=1 |pages=281– |doi=10.1038/ncomms1282|pmid=21505437 |pmc=3104518 |bibcode=2011NatCo...2..281G }}{{cite journal |last1=McKinnon |first1=Chris |last2=Goold |first2=Rob |last3=Andre |first3=Ralph |last4=Devoy |first4=Anny |last5=Ortega |first5=Zaira |last6=Moonga |first6=Julie |last7=Linehan |first7=Jacqueline M. |last8=Brandner |first8=Sebastian |last9=Lucas |first9=José J. |last10=Collinge |first10=John |last11=Tabrizi |first11=Sarah J. |title=Prion-mediated neurodegeneration is associated with early impairment of the ubiquitin–proteasome system |journal=Acta Neuropathologica |date=8 December 2015 |volume=131 |issue=3 |pages=411–425 |doi=10.1007/s00401-015-1508-y|pmid=26646779 |pmc=4752964 }} and in particular Huntington's disease mechanistic pathobiology, novel therapeutics, biomarkers, outcome measures and first in human clinical trials.{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60884-8|pmid=22656876|title=Sarah Tabrizi: Tracking Huntington's disease|journal=The Lancet|volume=379|issue=9831|pages=2043|year=2012|last1=Shetty|first1=Priya|s2cid=40222846}}{{cite journal|last1=Mohammadi|first1=Dara|title=Fast-forwarding treatment for neurodegenerative disorders|journal=The Lancet Neurology|date=July 2015|volume=14|issue=7|pages=687–688|doi=10.1016/S1474-4422(15)00110-6|pmid=26067120|doi-access=free}} Amongst her achievements, she has identified key pathogenic mechanisms in cellular degeneration in prion disease,{{Cite journal|last1=Deriziotis|first1=Pelagia|last2=André|first2=Ralph|last3=Smith|first3=David M|last4=Goold|first4=Rob|last5=Kinghorn|first5=Kerri J|last6=Kristiansen|first6=Mark|last7=Nathan|first7=James A|last8=Rosenzweig|first8=Rina|last9=Krutauz|first9=Dasha|last10=Glickman|first10=Michael H|last11=Collinge|first11=John|date=2011-07-08|title=Misfolded PrP impairs the UPS by interaction with the 20S proteasome and inhibition of substrate entry|url= |journal=The EMBO Journal|volume=30|issue=15|pages=3065–3077|doi=10.1038/emboj.2011.224|issn=0261-4189|pmc=3160194|pmid=21743439}}{{Cite journal|last1=Kristiansen|first1=Mark|last2=Deriziotis|first2=Pelagia|last3=Dimcheff|first3=Derek E.|last4=Jackson|first4=Graham S.|last5=Ovaa|first5=Huib|last6=Naumann|first6=Heike|last7=Clarke|first7=Anthony R.|last8=van Leeuwen|first8=Fijs W.B.|last9=Menéndez-Benito|first9=Victoria|last10=Dantuma|first10=Nico P.|last11=Portis|first11=John L.|date=April 2007|title=Disease-Associated Prion Protein Oligomers Inhibit the 26S Proteasome|journal=Molecular Cell|language=en|volume=26|issue=2|pages=175–188|doi=10.1016/j.molcel.2007.04.001|pmid=17466621|hdl=11858/00-001M-0000-0012-2650-5|hdl-access=free}}{{Cite journal|last1=Kristiansen|first1=Mark|last2=Messenger|first2=Marcus J.|last3=Klöhn|first3=Peter-Christian|last4=Brandner|first4=Sebastian|last5=Wadsworth|first5=Jonathan D. F.|last6=Collinge|first6=John|last7=Tabrizi|first7=Sarah J.|date=2005-11-18|title=Disease-related Prion Protein Forms Aggresomes in Neuronal Cells Leading to Caspase Activation and Apoptosis|url=http://www.jbc.org/content/280/46/38851|journal=Journal of Biological Chemistry|language=en|volume=280|issue=46|pages=38851–38861|doi=10.1074/jbc.M506600200|issn=0021-9258|pmid=16157591|doi-access=free}} identified a key role for the innate immune system in the pathogenesis of Huntington’s disease,{{cite journal |doi=10.1084/jem.20080178 |pmid=18625748 |pmc=2525598 |title=A novel pathogenic pathway of immune activation detectable before clinical onset in Huntington's disease |journal=The Journal of Experimental Medicine |volume=205 |issue=8 |pages=1869–77 |year=2008 |last1=Björkqvist |first1=Maria |last2=Wild |first2=Edward J |last3=Thiele |first3=Jenny |last4=Silvestroni |first4=Aurelio |last5=Andre |first5=Ralph |last6=Lahiri |first6=Nayana |last7=Raibon |first7=Elsa |last8=Lee |first8=Richard V |last9=Benn |first9=Caroline L |last10=Soulet |first10=Denis |last11=Magnusson |first11=Anna |last12=Woodman |first12=Ben |last13=Landles |first13=Christian |last14=Pouladi |first14=Mahmoud A |last15=Hayden |first15=Michael R |last16=Khalili-Shirazi |first16=Azadeh |last17=Lowdell |first17=Mark W |last18=Brundin |first18=Patrik |last19=Bates |first19=Gillian P |last20=Leavitt |first20=Blair R |last21=Möller |first21=Thomas |last22=Tabrizi |first22=Sarah J }} published the first assay of the mutant HD protein,{{cite journal |doi=10.1172/jci64565 |pmid=22996692 |pmc=3461928 |title=Mutant huntingtin fragmentation in immune cells tracks Huntington's disease progression |journal=Journal of Clinical Investigation |volume=122 |issue=10 |pages=3731–6 |year=2012 |last1=Weiss |first1=Andreas |last2=Träger |first2=Ulrike |last3=Wild |first3=Edward J |last4=Grueninger |first4=Stephan |last5=Farmer |first5=Ruth |last6=Landles |first6=Christian |last7=Scahill |first7=Rachael I |last8=Lahiri |first8=Nayana |last9=Haider |first9=Salman |last10=MacDonald |first10=Douglas |last11=Frost |first11=Chris |last12=Bates |first12=Gillian P |last13=Bilbe |first13=Graeme |last14=Kuhn |first14=Rainer |last15=Andre |first15=Ralph |last16=Tabrizi |first16=Sarah J }} and designed and led two major, international, influential research initiatives, TRACK-HD and Track-On HD. To date these studies have yielded fundamental new insights into the preclinical phase of neurodegeneration in Huntington’s disease including identifying predictors of disease onset,{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/s1474-4422(09)70170-x |pmid=19646924 |pmc=3725974 |title=Biological and clinical manifestations of Huntington's disease in the longitudinal TRACK-HD study: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data |journal=The Lancet Neurology |volume=8 |issue=9 |pages=791–801 |year=2009 |last1=Tabrizi |first1=Sarah J |last2=Langbehn |first2=Douglas R |last3=Leavitt |first3=Blair R |last4=Roos |first4=Raymund AC |last5=Durr |first5=Alexandra |last6=Craufurd |first6=David |last7=Kennard |first7=Christopher |last8=Hicks |first8=Stephen L |last9=Fox |first9=Nick C |last10=Scahill |first10=Rachael I |last11=Borowsky |first11=Beth |last12=Tobin |first12=Allan J |last13=Rosas |first13=H Diana |last14=Johnson |first14=Hans |last15=Reilmann |first15=Ralf |last16=Landwehrmeyer |first16=Bernhard|author16-link=Bernhard Landwehrmeyer |last17=Stout |first17=Julie C }}{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/s1474-4422(10)70276-3 |pmid=21130037 |title=Biological and clinical changes in premanifest and early stage Huntington's disease in the TRACK-HD study: The 12-month longitudinal analysis |journal=The Lancet Neurology |volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=31–42 |year=2011 |last1=Tabrizi |first1=Sarah J |last2=Scahill |first2=Rachael I |last3=Durr |first3=Alexandra |last4=Roos |first4=Raymund AC |last5=Leavitt |first5=Blair R |last6=Jones |first6=Rebecca |last7=Landwehrmeyer |first7=G Bernhard |last8=Fox |first8=Nick C |last9=Johnson |first9=Hans |last10=Hicks |first10=Stephen L |last11=Kennard |first11=Christopher |last12=Craufurd |first12=David |last13=Frost |first13=Chris |last14=Langbehn |first14=Douglas R |last15=Reilmann |first15=Ralf |last16=Stout |first16=Julie C |author17=TRACK-HD Investigators |s2cid=2602096 }}{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/s1474-4422(11)70263-0 |pmid=22137354 |title=Potential endpoints for clinical trials in premanifest and early Huntington's disease in the TRACK-HD study: Analysis of 24 month observational data |journal=The Lancet Neurology |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=42–53 |year=2012 |last1=Tabrizi |first1=Sarah J |last2=Reilmann |first2=Ralf |last3=Roos |first3=Raymund AC |last4=Durr |first4=Alexandra |last5=Leavitt |first5=Blair |last6=Owen |first6=Gail |last7=Jones |first7=Rebecca |last8=Johnson |first8=Hans |last9=Craufurd |first9=David |last10=Hicks |first10=Stephen L |last11=Kennard |first11=Christopher |last12=Landwehrmeyer |first12=Bernhard |last13=Stout |first13=Julie C |last14=Borowsky |first14=Beth |last15=Scahill |first15=Rachael I |last16=Frost |first16=Chris |last17=Langbehn |first17=Douglas R |author18=TRACK-HD investigators |s2cid=34929053 }}{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/s1474-4422(13)70088-7 |pmid=23664844 |title=Predictors of phenotypic progression and disease onset in premanifest and early-stage Huntington's disease in the TRACK-HD study: Analysis of 36-month observational data |journal=The Lancet Neurology |volume=12 |issue=7 |pages=637–49 |year=2013 |last1=Tabrizi |first1=Sarah J |last2=Scahill |first2=Rachael I |last3=Owen |first3=Gail |last4=Durr |first4=Alexandra |last5=Leavitt |first5=Blair R |last6=Roos |first6=Raymund A |last7=Borowsky |first7=Beth |last8=Landwehrmeyer |first8=Bernhard |last9=Frost |first9=Chris |last10=Johnson |first10=Hans |last11=Craufurd |first11=David |last12=Reilmann |first12=Ralf |last13=Stout |first13=Julie C |last14=Langbehn |first14=Douglas R |s2cid=12204298 }}{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/j.ebiom.2015.08.002 |pmid=26629536 |pmc=4634199 |title=Compensation in Preclinical Huntington's Disease: Evidence from the Track-On HD Study |journal=eBioMedicine |volume=2 |issue=10 |pages=1420–9 |year=2015 |last1=Klöppel |first1=Stefan |last2=Gregory |first2=Sarah |last3=Scheller |first3=Elisa |last4=Minkova |first4=Lora |last5=Razi |first5=Adeel |last6=Durr |first6=Alexandra |last7=Roos |first7=Raymund A.C |last8=Leavitt |first8=Blair R |last9=Papoutsi |first9=Marina |last10=Landwehrmeyer |first10=G. Bernhard |last11=Reilmann |first11=Ralf |last12=Borowsky |first12=Beth |last13=Johnson |first13=Hans |last14=Mills |first14=James A |last15=Owen |first15=Gail |last16=Stout |first16=Julie |last17=Scahill |first17=Rachael I |last18=Long |first18=Jeffrey D |last19=Rees |first19=Geraint |last20=Tabrizi |first20=Sarah J }}{{cite journal |doi=10.1093/brain/awx022 |pmid=28334888 |pmc=5382953 |title=Operationalizing compensation over time in neurodegenerative disease |journal=Brain |volume=140 |issue=4 |pages=1158–1165 |year=2017 |last1=Gregory |first1=Sarah |last2=Long |first2=Jeffrey D |last3=Klöppel |first3=Stefan |last4=Razi |first4=Adeel |last5=Scheller |first5=Elisa |last6=Minkova |first6=Lora |last7=Papoutsi |first7=Marina |last8=Mills |first8=James A |last9=Durr |first9=Alexandra |last10=Leavitt |first10=Blair R |last11=Roos |first11=Raymund A. C |last12=Stout |first12=Julie C |last13=Scahill |first13=Rachael I |last14=Langbehn |first14=Douglas R |last15=Tabrizi |first15=Sarah J |last16=Rees |first16=Geraint }}{{cite journal |doi=10.1093/brain/awy122 |pmid=29788038 |pmc=6022638 |title=Testing a longitudinal compensation model in premanifest Huntington's disease |journal=Brain |volume=141 |issue=7 |pages=2156–2166 |year=2018 |last1=Gregory |first1=Sarah |last2=Long |first2=Jeffrey D |last3=Klöppel |first3=Stefan |last4=Razi |first4=Adeel |last5=Scheller |first5=Elisa |last6=Minkova |first6=Lora |last7=Johnson |first7=Eileanoir B |last8=Durr |first8=Alexandra |last9=Roos |first9=Raymund A C |last10=Leavitt |first10=Blair R |last11=Mills |first11=James A |last12=Stout |first12=Julie C |last13=Scahill |first13=Rachael I |last14=Tabrizi |first14=Sarah J |last15=Rees |first15=Geraint |last16=Coleman |first16=A |last17=Decolongon |first17=J |last18=Fan |first18=M |last19=Koren |first19=T |last20=Leavitt |first20=B |last21=Durr |first21=A |last22=Jauffret |first22=C |last23=Justo |first23=D |last24=Lehericy |first24=S |last25=Nigaud |first25=K |last26=Valabrègue |first26=R |last27=Roos |first27=R |last28=Hart |first28=E P 't |last29=Schoonderbeek |first29=A |last30=Berna |first30=C |display-authors=29 }} progression, evidence of brain compensation and plasticity and neurobiological changes occurring twenty years before predicted disease onset, and her work established a battery of clinical trial outcome measures now being used in global clinical trials.{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/s0140-6736(12)60884-8 |pmid=22656876 |title=Sarah Tabrizi: Tracking Huntington's disease |journal=The Lancet |volume=379 |issue=9831 |pages=2043 |year=2012 |last1=Shetty |first1=Priya |s2cid=40222846 }}{{cite journal |doi=10.1038/d41586-018-05179-w |pmid=29844554 |title=Improved metrics for Huntington's disease trials |journal=Nature |volume=557 |issue=7707 |pages=S46–S47 |year=2018 |last1=Arney |first1=Kat |bibcode=2018Natur.557S..46A |s2cid=256768548 |doi-access= }} In 2017, her work identified an important new genetic modifier of disease progression in Huntington’s disease (MSH3, a mismatch repair protein), which has opened up new avenues of research into targeting DNA repair pathways as possible therapeutics for Huntington’s disease.{{cite journal |last1=Moss |first1=Davina J Hensman |last2=Pardiñas |first2=Antonio F |last3=Langbehn |first3=Douglas |last4=Lo |first4=Kitty |last5=Leavitt |first5=Blair R |last6=Roos |first6=Raymund |last7=Durr |first7=Alexandra |last8=Mead |first8=Simon |last9=Holmans |first9=Peter |last10=Jones |first10=Lesley |last11=Tabrizi |first11=Sarah J |last12=Coleman |first12=A |last13=Santos |first13=R Dar |last14=Decolongon |first14=J |last15=Sturrock |first15=A |display-authors=29 |year=2017 |title=Identification of genetic variants associated with Huntington's disease progression: A genome-wide association study |url=http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/1559952/1/Tabrizi_Hensman%20Moss%20et%20al%202017%20LN%20Manuscript.pdf |journal=The Lancet Neurology |volume=16 |issue=9 |pages=701–711 |doi=10.1016/s1474-4422(17)30161-8 |pmid=28642124 |s2cid=588163 |last16=Bardinet |first16=E |last17=Ret |first17=C Jauff |last18=Justo |first18=D |last19=Lehericy |first19=S |last20=Marelli |first20=C |last21=Nigaud |first21=K |last22=Valabrègue |first22=R |last23=Van Den Bogaard |first23=SJA |last24=Dumas |first24=E M |last25=Van Der Grond |first25=J |last26=t'Hart |first26=EP |last27=Jurgens |first27=C |last28=Witjes-Ane |first28=M-N |last29=Arran |first29=N |last30=Callaghan |first30=J}}{{Cite journal |last1=Flower |first1=Michael |last2=Lomeikaite |first2=Vilija |last3=Ciosi |first3=Marc |last4=Cumming |first4=Sarah |last5=Morales |first5=Fernando |last6=Lo |first6=Kitty |last7=Hensman Moss |first7=Davina |last8=Jones |first8=Lesley |last9=Holmans |first9=Peter |last10=Monckton |first10=Darren G. |last11=Tabrizi |first11=Sarah J. |date=2019-07-01 |title=MSH3 modifies somatic instability and disease severity in Huntington's and myotonic dystrophy type 1 |url= |journal=Brain |language=en |volume=142 |issue=7 |pages=1876–1886 |doi=10.1093/brain/awz115 |issn=0006-8950 |pmc=6598626 |pmid=31216018}}{{Cite journal |last1=Tabrizi |first1=Sarah J. |last2=Estevez-Fraga |first2=Carlos |last3=van Roon-Mom |first3=Willeke M. C. |last4=Flower |first4=Michael D. |last5=Scahill |first5=Rachael I. |last6=Wild |first6=Edward J. |last7=Muñoz-Sanjuan |first7=Ignacio |last8=Sampaio |first8=Cristina |last9=Rosser |first9=Anne E. |last10=Leavitt |first10=Blair R. |date=July 2022 |title=Potential disease-modifying therapies for Huntington's disease: lessons learned and future opportunities |journal=The Lancet. Neurology |volume=21 |issue=7 |pages=645–658 |doi=10.1016/S1474-4422(22)00121-1 |issn=1474-4465 |pmc=7613206 |pmid=35716694}} A major focus of her research now is to build understanding of how different DNA repair mechanisms are involved in modifying the development of Huntington’s disease. This knowledge to develop novel therapeutic approaches that could stop, slow down or reverse the progression of the disease by targeting the somatic expansion of the CAG repeat tract.{{Cite journal |last1=Goold |first1=Robert |last2=Flower |first2=Michael |last3=Moss |first3=Davina Hensman |last4=Medway |first4=Chris |last5=Wood-Kaczmar |first5=Alison |last6=Andre |first6=Ralph |last7=Farshim |first7=Pamela |last8=Bates |first8=Gill P |last9=Holmans |first9=Peter |last10=Jones |first10=Lesley |last11=Tabrizi |first11=Sarah J |date=2019-02-15 |title=FAN1 modifies Huntington's disease progression by stabilizing the expanded HTT CAG repeat |url=https://academic.oup.com/hmg/article/28/4/650/5144444 |journal=Human Molecular Genetics |language=en |volume=28 |issue=4 |pages=650–661 |doi=10.1093/hmg/ddy375 |issn=0964-6906 |pmc=6360275 |pmid=30358836}}{{Cite journal |last1=Goold |first1=Robert |last2=Hamilton |first2=Joseph |last3=Menneteau |first3=Thomas |last4=Flower |first4=Michael |last5=Bunting |first5=Emma L. |last6=Aldous |first6=Sarah G. |last7=Porro |first7=Antonio |last8=Vicente |first8=José R. |last9=Allen |first9=Nicholas D. |last10=Wilkinson |first10=Hilary |last11=Bates |first11=Gillian P. |last12=Sartori |first12=Alessandro A. |last13=Thalassinos |first13=Konstantinos |last14=Balmus |first14=Gabriel |last15=Tabrizi |first15=Sarah J. |date=August 2021 |title=FAN1 controls mismatch repair complex assembly via MLH1 retention to stabilize CAG repeat expansion in Huntington's disease |journal=Cell Reports |language=en |volume=36 |issue=9 |pages=109649 |doi=10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109649 |pmc=8424649 |pmid=34469738}}{{Cite journal |last1=Tabrizi |first1=Sarah J. |last2=Flower |first2=Michael D. |last3=Ross |first3=Christopher A. |last4=Wild |first4=Edward J. |date=October 2020 |title=Huntington disease: new insights into molecular pathogenesis and therapeutic opportunities |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41582-020-0389-4 |journal=Nature Reviews Neurology |language=en |volume=16 |issue=10 |pages=529–546 |doi=10.1038/s41582-020-0389-4 |pmid=32796930 |s2cid=221129777 |issn=1759-4758}}

Tabrizi gave a keynote presentation at the 2016 Google Zeitgeist Minds conference about her research, and the prospect of gene silencing for neurodegenerative disease.{{Cite web|url=https://www.zeitgeistminds.com/talk/6067962410696704/sarah-tabrizi-the-human-revolution-sarah-tabrizi|title=The Human Revolution|last=Tabrizi|first=Sarah|date=May 2016|website=zeitgeistminds.com}} She was the global lead Clinical Investigator for the first clinical trial of a 'gene silencing' or huntingtin-lowering antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) drug in Huntington's disease patients. The announcement of the ‘top line’ results from the Phase 1b/2a safety trial in December 2017 received widespread national and international media coverage and was covered in features by BBC News,{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-42308341|title=Huntington's breakthrough may stop disease|last=Gallagher|first=James|date=11 December 2017|website=bbc.co.uk}} Guardian{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/dec/11/excitement-as-huntingtons-drug-shown-to-slow-progress-of-devastating-disease|title=Excitement as trial shows Huntington's drug could slow progress of disease|last=Devlin|first=Hannah|date=11 December 2017|website=guardian.com}} and Nature.{{cite journal |doi=10.1038/d41586-018-05176-z |pmid=29844556 |title=How the gene behind Huntington's disease could be neutralized |journal=Nature |volume=557 |issue=7707 |pages=S39–S41 |year=2018 |last1=Drew |first1=Liam |bibcode=2018Natur.557S..39D |s2cid=256768090 |doi-access= }} In May 2019 the full results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.{{Cite journal|last1=Tabrizi|first1=Sarah J.|last2=Leavitt|first2=Blair R.|last3=Landwehrmeyer|first3=G. Bernhard|last4=Wild|first4=Edward J.|last5=Saft|first5=Carsten|last6=Barker|first6=Roger A.|last7=Blair|first7=Nick F.|last8=Craufurd|first8=David|last9=Priller|first9=Josef|date=2019-05-06|title=Targeting Huntingtin Expression in Patients with Huntington's Disease|journal=New England Journal of Medicine|volume=380|issue=24|pages=2307–2316|language=en|doi=10.1056/NEJMoa1900907|pmid=31059641|issn=0028-4793|url=https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/89496225/nejmoa1900907.pdf|doi-access=free}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/news/2019/may/full-results-huntingtin-lowering-antisense-oligonucleotides-trial-now-published|title=Full Results from Huntingtin Lowering Antisense Oligonucleotides Trial now published|website=UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology|date=7 May 2019 }}

The potential of antisense oligonucleotides to treat neurodegenerative diseases was reviewed by Tabrizi in Science in 2020.{{Cite journal|last1=Leavitt|first1=Blair R.|last2=Tabrizi|first2=Sarah J.|date=2020-03-27|title=Antisense oligonucleotides for neurodegeneration|url=https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aba4624|journal=Science|language=en|volume=367|issue=6485|pages=1428–1429|doi=10.1126/science.aba4624|pmid=32217715|bibcode=2020Sci...367.1428L|s2cid=214671177|issn=0036-8075}} Tabrizi is currently working on several different approaches to treat Huntington’s disease, including testing novel ASOs targeting MSH3 to slow CAG repeat expansion, allele-selective approaches to target mutant HTT only, and new gene therapy approaches targeting the mutant HD gene.{{Cite journal |last1=Tabrizi |first1=Sarah J |last2=Estevez-Fraga |first2=Carlos |last3=van Roon-Mom |first3=Willeke M C |last4=Flower |first4=Michael D |last5=Scahill |first5=Rachael I |last6=Wild |first6=Edward J |last7=Muñoz-Sanjuan |first7=Ignacio |last8=Sampaio |first8=Cristina |last9=Rosser |first9=Anne E |last10=Leavitt |first10=Blair R |date=July 2022 |title=Potential disease-modifying therapies for Huntington's disease: lessons learned and future opportunities |journal=The Lancet Neurology |language=en |volume=21 |issue=7 |pages=645–658 |doi=10.1016/S1474-4422(22)00121-1 |pmc=7613206 |pmid=35716694}}

In 2020, Tabrizi published the Huntington’s Disease Young Adult Study (HD-YAS) studying premanifest HD gene carriers approximately 24 years from predicted onset of clinical symptoms using advanced neuroimaging, detailed cognitive testing and biofluid collection.{{Cite journal|last1=Scahill|first1=Rachael I|last2=Zeun|first2=Paul|last3=Osborne-Crowley|first3=Katherine|last4=Johnson|first4=Eileanoir B|last5=Gregory|first5=Sarah|last6=Parker|first6=Christopher|last7=Lowe|first7=Jessica|last8=Nair|first8=Akshay|last9=O'Callaghan|first9=Claire|last10=Langley|first10=Christelle|last11=Papoutsi|first11=Marina|date=June 2020|title=Biological and clinical characteristics of gene carriers far from predicted onset in the Huntington's disease Young Adult Study (HD-YAS): a cross-sectional analysis|journal=The Lancet Neurology|language=en|volume=19|issue=6|pages=502–512|doi=10.1016/S1474-4422(20)30143-5|pmc=7254065|pmid=32470422}} The cohort did not show any clinically meaningful functional impairment, yet there was evidence of elevated levels of neurofilament light protein, suggestive of very early neuronal damage, in those closest to expected symptom onset. HD-YAS will provide critical information on the very earliest signs of neurodegeneration, identifying a time at which a therapy could potentially be introduced to delay or even ultimately prevent the onset of clinical symptoms in HD. This approach has implications beyond HD, providing a model for disease prevention in neurodegeneration and this work continues to be of major interest in the Tabrizi lab.{{Cite web|date=2020-05-26|title=Study provides 'vital insights' into best time to treat Huntington's disease|url=https://www.itv.com/news/2020-05-26/study-provides-vital-insights-into-best-time-to-treat-huntingtons-disease|access-date=2020-11-30|website=ITV News|language=en}}

In 2022, alongside colleagues at the HD Regulatory Science Consortium and CHDI, Tabrizi developed a novel staging framework, the Huntington’s Disease Integrated Staging System (HD-ISS), that assesses the progression of disease from birth.{{Cite journal |last1=Tabrizi |first1=Sarah J. |last2=Schobel |first2=Scott |last3=Gantman |first3=Emily C. |last4=Mansbach |first4=Alexandra |last5=Borowsky |first5=Beth |last6=Konstantinova |first6=Pavlina |last7=Mestre |first7=Tiago A. |last8=Panagoulias |first8=Jennifer |last9=Ross |first9=Christopher A. |last10=Zauderer |first10=Maurice |last11=Mullin |first11=Ariana P. |last12=Romero |first12=Klaus |last13=Sivakumaran |first13=Sudhir |last14=Turner |first14=Emily C. |last15=Long |first15=Jeffrey D. |date=July 2022 |title=A biological classification of Huntington's disease: the Integrated Staging System |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35716693 |journal=The Lancet. Neurology |volume=21 |issue=7 |pages=632–644 |doi=10.1016/S1474-4422(22)00120-X |issn=1474-4465 |pmid=35716693 |s2cid=249682267}} Similar to the cancer staging system, the HD-ISS defines HD in four stages, from 0-3, and also biologically defines the disease as the presence of the HTT CAG repeat mutation. This will allow clinical trials much earlier in course of the disease process, and well in advance of when people show signs and symptoms of the disease, allowing the possibility of disease prevention in the future.

Tabrizi was the subject of profile articles in The Lancet in 2012 and The Lancet Neurology in 2017.{{Cite journal |last=Shetty |first=Priya |date=2012-06-02 |title=Sarah Tabrizi: tracking Huntington's disease |url=https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(12)60884-8/abstract |journal=The Lancet |language=English |volume=379 |issue=9831 |pages=2043 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60884-8 |issn=0140-6736 |pmid=22656876|s2cid=40222846 |url-access=subscription }}{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/s1474-4422(17)30303-4 |pmid=28916420 |title=Sarah Tabrizi: Timed to perfection |journal=The Lancet Neurology |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=117 |year=2018 |last1=Burton |first1=Adrian |doi-access=free }}

As of May 2024, Tabrizi had authored over 380 publications, with over 39,000 citations for her research.{{cite web|title=Sarah J Tabrizi - Google Scholar Citations|url=https://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=bLd22D0AAAAJ|website=scholar.google.co.uk}}

• Elected to US National Academy of Medicine (2024)https://nam.edu/national-academy-of-medicine-elects-100-new-members-2024//
• Elected Fellow of the Royal Society (2024)https://royalsociety.org/news/2024/05/new-fellows-2024/
• Arvid Carlsson Award from Lund University (2023).{{Cite web |last=UCL |date=2023-06-05 |title=Professor Sarah Tabrizi receives the 2023 Arvid Carlsson Award |url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/news/2023/jun/professor-sarah-tabrizi-receives-2023-arvid-carlsson-award |access-date=2023-06-05 |website=UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology |language=en}}
• MRC Millennium Medal (2022).{{Cite web |title=MRC announces Millennium Medal winners and Impact Prize finalists |url=https://www.ukri.org/news/mrc-announces-millennium-medal-winners-and-impact-prize-finalists/ |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=www.ukri.org |date=8 December 2022 |language=en-US}}
• Huntington’s Disease Society of America Outstanding Research Award (2022).{{Cite web |last=UCL |date=2022-06-28 |title=Professor Sarah Tabrizi receives 2022 Osler Medal and HDSA 2022 Research Award |url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/news/2022/jun/professor-sarah-tabrizi-receives-2022-osler-medal-and-hdsa-2022-research-award |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology |language=en}}
• Osler Medal and Lecture from the [https://aopgbi.org/ Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Ireland] (2022).{{Cite web |title=Programme and Speakers - AoPGBI |url=https://aopgbi.org/programme-and-speakers/ |access-date=2022-06-24 |language=en-GB |archive-date=13 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513094856/https://aopgbi.org/programme-and-speakers/ |url-status=dead }}
• Alexander Morison Medal from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (2019).{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/news/2019/nov/co-heads-department-awarded-alexander-morison-medal-successive-years|title=Co-Heads of Department awarded Alexander Morison medal in successive years.|last=UCL|date=2019-11-05|website=UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology|language=en|access-date=2019-11-06}}
• Yahr Award from the [https://wfneurology.org/ World Congress of Neurology] (2019).{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/news/2019/oct/professor-sarah-tabrizi-receives-yahr-award-world-congress-neurology-2019|title=Professor Sarah Tabrizi receives Yahr award at World Congress of Neurology 2019|last=UCL|date=2019-10-31|website=UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology|language=en|access-date=2019-11-06}}
• Cotzias Award from the [http://www.sen.es/ Spanish Society of Neurology] (2018).{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/news/2018/nov/professor-sarah-tabrizi-ucl-queen-square-institute-neurology-receives-2018-cotzias|title=Professor Sarah Tabrizi, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, receives the 2018 Cotzias Award|website=UCL News|date=16 November 2018 }}
• NHS70 Women Leader award (2018).{{Cite web|url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/slms/nhs70|title=The NHS at 70 years|last=Tabrizi|first=Sarah|website=ucl.ac.uk|date=19 October 2018 }}
• Seventh [http://www.hdfoundation.org/leslie-gehry-brenner-prize/ Leslie Gehry Brenner Prize for Innovation in Science] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042948/http://www.hdfoundation.org/leslie-gehry-brenner-prize/ |date=1 December 2017 }} awarded by the Hereditary Disease Foundation (2017).{{cite web|title=UCL News|url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/articles/news/tabrizi-leslie-gehry-brenner|website=ucl.ac.uk|date=9 November 2017 }}
• Elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (2014).{{cite web|title=Fellow - Academy of Medical Sciences|url=http://www.acmedsci.ac.uk/fellows/fellows-directory/ordinary-fellows/professor-sarah-tabrizi/|website=www.acmedsci.ac.uk|access-date=5 May 2016|archive-date=2 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602211006/http://www.acmedsci.ac.uk/fellows/fellows-directory/ordinary-fellows/professor-sarah-tabrizi/|url-status=dead}}
• Member of the Wellcome Trust Expert Review Group on Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience (2013-2017).{{cite web|title=Governance - Wellcome|url=https://wellcome.ac.uk/about-us/governance|website=wellcome.ac.uk}}
• Associate editor, Journal of Huntington's Disease.{{cite web|title=Journal of Huntington's Disease|url=http://www.iospress.nl/journal/journal-of-huntingtons-disease/|website=www.iospress.nl|accessdate=13 June 2016}}
• Elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (2007).

Tabrizi lives in London with her husband, the author Michael Nath.{{cite web|title=Who's Who 2016 - Tabrizi, Prof. Sarah Joanna|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U283358/|website=Who's Who 2016|accessdate=6 May 2016}}

{{reflist}}

{{Scholia}}

• [http://hdresearch.ucl.ac.uk/ UCL Huntington's Disease Centre]
• [https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/profile?upi=SJTAB21 Sarah Tabrizi profile at UCL Iris]
• {{cite journal |doi=10.1016/S1474-4422(17)30303-4 |pmid=28916420 |title=Sarah Tabrizi: Timed to perfection |journal=The Lancet Neurology |volume=17 |issue=2 |pages=117 |year=2018 |last1=Burton |first1=Adrian |doi-access=free }}

{{FRS 2024}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tabrizi, Sarah}}

Category:1965 births

Category:20th-century British biologists

Category:20th-century British women scientists

Category:21st-century British biologists

Category:21st-century British women scientists

Category:Alumni of Heriot-Watt University

Category:Alumni of University College London

Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh

Category:Academics of University College London

Category:British neurologists

Category:British neuroscientists

Category:British women neuroscientists

Category:British women biologists

Category:British people of Iranian descent

Category:Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences (United Kingdom)

Category:Fellows of the Royal Society

Category:Huntington's disease

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the National Academy of Medicine