Prof Peter McCaffery

Peter McCaffery’s research focuses on the function of vitamin A in the brain. Vitamin A controls “plastic” changes in the central nervous system, the brain’s capacity to reorganize its connectivity in response to new experiences or injury. This is relevant to degenerative disorders, and studies show potential as a motor neuron disease therapy. We are developing ways to screen drugs that activate the receptor systems controlled by vitamin A to identify which have the most promise as therapies. 

Peter obtained a PhD in Pathology at Otago University, New Zealand before working at Harvard Medical School as Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. Peter then moved to the University of Aberdeen as Professor in 2007.