Sheffield scientist awarded prestigious prize for groundbreaking MND research

Dr Johnathan Cooper-Knock, from University’s world-renowned Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), is one of just eight outstanding scientists nationwide to receive the 2025 Lister Award from the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine.

Dr Cooper-Knock is one of the leading researchers at the University of Sheffield working together towards the shared ambition of better understanding, slowing down the progression and treating MND.

Dr Cooper-Knock’s research focuses on uncovering new genetic causes of MND, which is a rapidly progressive and currently untreatable neurodegenerative disease.

MND, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a fatal disease that affects one in 300 people. The disease affects the motor nerves, known as motor neurons, in the brain and spinal cord.

The progressive disease causes the nerves that take signals from the brain to the muscles to stop working. This leads to muscle weakness, stiffness and paralysis that worsens over time, impacting upon the patient’s ability to walk, talk, eat and breathe.

Few patients survive beyond five years after being diagnosed, and most current treatments only modestly increase life expectancy.

MND is a group of diseases with multiple causes, rather than a single root cause, which is part of the reason it is so difficult to treat.

The Lister Prize provides flexible, long-term funding to support pioneering research, enabling scientists to pursue ambitious projects that have the potential to make a significant impact on human health.

"The Lister Prize will accelerate my research into the genetics of MND," said Dr Cooper-Knock.

"Through direct support, and also through the opportunity to interact and collaborate with the wider Lister family of exceptional scientists, the flexible funding will allow me to fine-tune the development of my multidisciplinary lab to leverage cutting-edge tools and technologies."

Professor Dame Pamela Shaw, Director of SITraN, commented: "We are incredibly proud of Dr Cooper-Knock's achievement. This prestigious Lister Award is thoroughly deserved and highlights his innovative and crucial work in unravelling the genetic complexities of MND.

“His research is vital in our collective mission at SITraN to push the boundaries of understanding and ultimately develop effective treatments for this devastating disease."

This award underscores the University of Sheffield's commitment to fostering world-leading neuroscience research. SITraN unites researchers from across a range of neurodegenerative specialisms. By working together under one roof, collaborating and sharing discoveries from across their fields, it’s a place where independent thinking meets a shared ambition to ask bold questions, push boundaries, and make a difference.

To learn more about MND research at the University of Sheffield, please visit: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/future/mnd/news