Tom’s research laboratory focuses on understanding cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate the form and function of the nervous system in health and disease. Members of the lab routinely combine quantitative, high-resolution imaging and molecular biology techniques (e.g. proteomics) to study the structure and function of the central and peripheral nervous systems, both in vivo and in vitro. Currently, research efforts in his group are focussed on: i) understanding disease mechanisms and developing new therapies for motor neuron diseases, including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), x-linked spinal muscular atrophy (XL-SMA), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and; ii) developing high-resolution imaging strategies for visualising the human nervous system and neuromuscular junctions in vivo. Tom is also actively pursuing research aiming to improve standards of anatomy/medical education and is building international collaborative links to facilitate the utilisation of historical anatomy collections in cutting edge (e.g. genomic) research.