University College London (UCL) is ranked 4th in the world and 2nd in the UK in the 2010 QS World University Rankings. UCL receives the highest share of any UK university of the UK Government’s investment fund. UCL is also one of the leading recipients of EC funds, currently holding over 350 funded projects, contributing to an annual incurred expenditure of 30 million Euros of European Union funds. UCL has recently invested more than £250 million into state-of-the art infrastructure, facilitating cutting edge research across a broad range of disciplines. UCL’s total annual research income stands at an impressive £717.4m. The research strategy of UCL is oriented around a number of grand challenges explored by interdisciplinary centres.

The Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre (DNC) is a multidisciplinary clinical and research service in paediatric neuromuscular disorders and is part of The Institute of Child Health (ICH) at UCL. In partnership with Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH), it is the leading British academic research institution for child health. In RAE 2008, 70% of ICH staff were rated of international quality (4*, 40%; 3* 30%), and in The Times World Ranking, 22nd. The DNC is also a member of the MRC Neuromuscular Translational Research centre. The DNC consists of clinicians, molecular and cell biologists and possesses its’ own research and diagnostic pathology laboratory. Clinical trial support is provided for in the adjacent GOSH where there is expertise in muscle imaging. The Muscle biopsy service is located close by at the Institute of Neurology at Queen Square. It has a large Biobank of tissues and cell cultures of neuromuscular patients including DMD and is a member of the EU Eurobiobank initiative, a network of European biobanks (http://www.eurobiobank.org/).

Role in ENHANCE

Prof. Muntoni of UCL will be one of the clinical partners of the ENHANCE project. He has ample experience from the current coordination of the FP7 project SKIP-NMD, earlier scientific coordination of another EU Network (EU Vth Framework, GENRE) and contribution as a PI to 4 additional EU projects (TREAT-NMD; Bio-NMD; Myo-AMP; Neuromics). He is the Principal investigator of two national research projects focused on Duchenne and Spinal muscular atrophy. UCL main contribute will be to WP 1 (User requirements identification and clinical validation)