For the past 25 years our Medical Genetics Service for Wales has provided information, genetic counselling and testing and clinical support for individuals with Huntington's disease and their relatives.  We have now joined with colleagues from Neurology, Psychiatry and Neuropsychology to form a more broadly based service for South Wales families.  We are also a service that is actively involved in research.  A number of these research activities are in partnership with UK and European Huntington's disease networks.

Referrals to Clinic
Patients and relatives are referred by General Practitioners or Hospital Consultants to attend Professor Anne Rosser's HD clinic.

Clinics
Clinics for patients at risk of Huntington’s disease are held at the Institute of Medical Genetics, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.
The aim of the service is to provide information about the disease, discuss the choices available, and provide ongoing care and support to at risk patients and their families.
The clinic also provides presymptomatic genetic counselling and testing.
If concerned phone (029) 2074 2577.

Information about the clinic and the HD team
Clinic is held at the Clinical Research Facility, UHW, every Wednesday from 9.30am to 1pm. More information on HD, the clinical service and research activites can be found on the Cardiff HD centre website

The HD team include:
Prof Anne Rosser (Consultant Neurologist)
Prof Angus Clarke (Consultant Geneticist)
Dr Sara Minster (Research Psychologist)
Mrs Kathy Price (Research Nurse)
Mrs Ruth Glew (Genetic Nurse Counsellor)
Mrs Catherine Clenaghan (Nurse Specialist)

For more information about Euro-HD in Cardiff, please contact Dr. Olivia Handley or Dr. Jenny Naji on (029) 2087 5197.

Research opportunites:
Cardiff hosts a number of research opportunities available to all those affected by or at risk of Huntington’s disease (HD). Currently, clinical research initiative
include:

•  EURO-HD: Registry 
• The NEST-UK neural transplantation trial in early to moderate stages of HD. For an update on this trial, click here
• PREDICT-HD: Neurobiological biomarkers for disease onset in HD
• Biomarkers in HD: Neurobiological biomarkers for disease onset in HD
• Sleep disturbance in HD
• Language disturbance in HD
• Capacity and HD: evaluation into the capacity for decision making and consent in HD

The Brain Repair Group (BRG): Led by Profs Steve Dunnett and Anne Rosser at Cardiff University, the BRG focuses on research into neurodegeneration, repair and neuroprotection in disease models of Huntington’s and Parkinson’s. Research activities strive to develop and improve strategies of regeneration in an attempt to provide therapy for these presently incurable diseases. Approaches currently under investigation include:

• Models of disease
• Neural transplantation
• Alternative cells for therapy
• Neuroprotection
  

The Huntington’s disease Research Group, Cardiff University: Led by Dr Lesley Jones, the HD Research Group carries out close analysis of the interactions that the mutated gene is involved in, which permits a better understanding of exactly how the genetic mutation causes the cascade of damaging events. Further interests include the influence of genetic modifiers on the clinical presentation of the disease and monitoring gene expression before and after treatments.

By Car
From the M4 (East)
Follow the M4 into Wales, over the Severn bridge. At junction 29, (A48) leave the Motorway.
Follow A48 until the fifth junction, this should be a dedicated slip road onto the University Hospital of Wales site.
From the M4 (West) and A470 (North)
Follow M4 (from West) / A470 (from North) until the M4/A470 interchange at Coryton. Follow road signs marked Cardiff City Centre along dual carriageway for approx two miles until you reach a large roundabout.
At the roundabout, stay in the left hand lane and aim for the A48 Newport (the Hospital will be signposted here). The entrance onto the hospital site is found on the slip road to the A48.
By Bus
Cardiff Bus                                             
1, 1a, 2, 2a (City Circle)                   
8, 8a, 9, 9a (Cardiff Bay Area)           
86 (Lisvane) and 87 (Llanishen)           

Travel Coaches
98 and 99

Stagecoach Service
A and B (Caerphilly)

Bebb                                                        
22 (Rhiwbina) 

Shamrock                                
304 (Barry) and L3 (Llandough)

Inside Heath Hospital:
Go through concourse and head for main corridor. Take lift on your left up to the main corridor, (button “ l ”). Turn left out of lift and go along corridor until B block lifts reached. Travel in lift to Upper Ground Floor, (button “ UG ”). Come out of the lift area and turn left into the C block corridor, following the signs, (pink), for the Clinical Research Facility. Turn left and go past the C Block lifts and coffee shop on your left. Immediately before the doors to exit the hospital, turn right and follow the corridor past the post room on your left to the Clinical Research Facility.
For further information on how to get to the Clinical Research Facility, please;
-          contact the Doctor / Nurse who invited you to the Facility or
-          contact the reception desk in the Facility on 02920 748251.

Address referrals to:
Professor Anne Rosser
Department of Neurology, Opthamology and Audiological Medicine
B2-C2 Link Corridor
University Hospital of Wales
Heath Park
Cardiff
CF14 4XN