Dr Simon Pope

Biography

Simon is an analytical biochemist who has worked in the Neurometabolic Unit, University College London Hospital, for almost 20 years. The Neurometabolic Unit is an NHS diagnostic laboratory, specialising in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of inborn and acquired disorders affecting neurotransmitter, mitochondrial, amino acid and vitamin metabolism.

Simon has worked in research during his PhD and three post-docs at UCL before moving to the Neurometabolic Unit. He has developed various assays for the laboratory, including Blue-Native Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) for the diagnosis of mitochondrial disorders, Liquid-Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) methods for cardiolipin in tissue homogenates/blood spots, 3-methyl dopa in blood spots and neurotransmitters and 5- methyltetrahydrofolate in cerebrospinal fluid.

As well as his involvement in clinical diagnostics, he is also a scientific advisor to ERNDIM, a worldwide external quality assurance (EQA) provider.

He has retained a strong interest in research, with many collaborators around UCL, the UK and Europe. He recently held a 3 year NIHR/MRC clinical academic research partnership grant (CARP) in collaboration with Professor Kevin Mills at the Institute of Child Health.