Dr Tatyana Tolmachova

Tanya Tolmachova undertook her B.Sc./M.Sc. in  Biochemical Technology at Moscow Institute of Fine Chemical Technology named after M.V. Lomonosov,  followed by her PhD in Genetics at the Institute for Genetics and Selection of Industrial Microorganisms in Moscow. In 1997 Tanya joined Imperial College as a Research Associate, first as a member of Dr Clare Huxley group, with whom she worked on development of mammalian artificial chromosome vectors. From 1998 Tanya has been a member of Membrane Traffic group headed by Prof Miguel Seabra.

Tanya Tolmachova is an expert in retinal degeneration and choroideremia ( X-linked form of retinal degeneration causing blindness).  Together with Prof Miguel Seabra, she developed mouse model of choroideremia and investigated role of retinal pigment epithelium and later undertook gene therapy studies with viral vectors and collected preclinical data for UK Choroideremia Clinical Trial which started in 2011.

Dr Tolmachova is a principal member of Choroideremia Clinical Trial Committee  with the role of overseeing molecular testing and validation of vectors. Her research interests are: mechanism and pathology of chorideremia, ocular gene therapy, regulation of cytokine secretion in retinal pigment epithelium, role of RabGTPases in regulation of retinal inflammation and phagocytosis.