GLUT1 Deficiency Project
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Dr Michael Hildebrand, PhDmichael.hildebrand@unimelb.edu.au
+61 3 9035 7143
Project Details
Glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1), encoded by the SLC2A1 gene, is responsible for glucose transport across the blood-brain barrier. Mutations in SLC2A1 result in GLUT1 deficiency syndrome which is associated with a spectrum of seizure disorders from mild (absence epilepsy) to severe (GLUT1 encephalopathy), and movement disorder. GLUT1 deficiency can be treatable using the ketogenic diet. Mutation analysis of SLC2A1 is a long-standing focus of our laboratory – we have screened this gene in over 1,500 patients with different types of epilepsy and discovered many novel mutations.

Researchers
- Dr Michael Hildebrand BBiomed Sci, BSc (Hons), PhD - Laboratory Head
- John Damiano BSc (Hons) - Senior Research Assistant
- Matthew Coleman BSc (Hons) - Research Assistant
- Joshua Reid BSc - Technical Assistant
- Zimeng (Daisy) Ye - PhD student
- Tim Green BSc - Honours student
Collaborators
- Associate Professor Angela Morgan, Murdoch Children's Research Institute
- Professor Melanie Bahlo, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute
- Professor Patrick Kwan, Royal Melbourne Hospital
- Associate Professor Heather Mefford, University of Washington
Funding
- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Project Grant APP1050161 2013-2015, Glucose homeostasis in epilepsy, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and Epilepsy Research Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia ($301,931 AUD) CIA: A/Prof. Steven Petrou, CIB: Dr. Chris A. Reid, CIC: Dr. Michael S. Hildebrand.
Research Outcomes
- Liu YC, Lee JW, Bellows ST, Damiano JA, Mullen SA, Berkovic SF, Bahlo M, Scheffer IE, Hildebrand MS; Clinical Group.. Evaluation of non-coding variation in GLUT1 deficiency. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2016 Jun 6. [Epub ahead of print]
- Hildebrand MS, Damiano JA, Mullen SA, Bellows ST, Oliver KL, Dahl HH, Scheffer IE, Berkovic SF. Glucose metabolism transporters and epilepsy: only GLUT1 has an established role. Epilepsia. 2014 55(2):e18-21.
Research Group
Translational Neurogenetics Laboratory
Key Contact
For further information about this research, please contact the research group leader.
Department / Centre
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