World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Neuroscience

D-Index
94
Citations
38838
World Ranking
931
National Ranking
49

Biology and Biochemistry

D-Index
94
Citations
38692
World Ranking
1977
National Ranking
57

Medicine

D-Index
94
Citations
38869
World Ranking
10359
National Ranking
416

Overview

Blair R. Leavitt is affiliated with the University of British Columbia in Canada. Their research spans multiple fields, primarily focused on the intersection of biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology, neuroscience, and medicine. Their scholarly work concentrates on molecular biology, cellular and molecular neuroscience, and neurology with additional contributions to genetics and clinical biochemistry.

The main topics explored in their publications include genetic neurodegenerative diseases, mitochondrial function and pathology, neurological disorders and treatments, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research, metabolism and genetic disorders, neurogenetic and muscular disorders research, and RNA research and splicing.

Leavitt has contributed to various scientific journals and outlets, frequently publishing in the following venues:

  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
  • Journal of Huntington s Disease
  • Brain Communications
  • Nature Nanotechnology
  • The Lancet Neurology

Recent publications by Leavitt and collaborators illuminate their research direction:

  • "Antisense oligonucleotides for neurodegeneration," 2020, Science
  • "The current landscape of nucleic acid therapeutics," 2021, Nature Nanotechnology
  • "Potential disease-modifying therapies for Huntington's disease: lessons learned and future opportunities," 2022, The Lancet Neurology
  • "Lipid-Nanoparticle-Based Delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 Genome-Editing Components," 2022, Molecular Pharmaceutics
  • "Tominersen in Adults with Manifest Huntington's Disease," 2023, New England Journal of Medicine

Leavitt often collaborates with other researchers familiar in the field, including:

  • Sarah J. Tabrizi
  • Terri L. Petkau
  • Michael R. Hayden
  • Edward J. Wild
  • Austin Hill

The blend of topics and venues shows a focus on molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Huntington's disease, as well as research on innovative therapeutic approaches such as antisense oligonucleotides and genome-editing technologies.

Best Publications

  • Induction of neurogenesis in the neocortex of adult mice.

    Sanjay S. Magavi;Blair R. Leavitt;Blair R. Leavitt;Blair R. Leavitt;Jeffrey D. Macklis;Jeffrey D. Macklis

  • Loss of Huntingtin-Mediated BDNF Gene Transcription in Huntington's Disease

    Chiara Zuccato;Andrea Ciammola;Dorotea Rigamonti;Blair R. Leavitt

  • Early mitochondrial calcium defects in Huntington's disease are a direct effect of polyglutamines

    Alexander V. Panov;Claire-Anne Gutekunst;Blair R. Leavitt;Michael R. Hayden

  • The current landscape of nucleic acid therapeutics.

    Jayesh A. Kulkarni;Dominik Witzigmann;Sarah B. Thomson;Sam Chen

  • Huntingtin interacts with REST/NRSF to modulate the transcription of NRSE-controlled neuronal genes.

    Chiara Zuccato;Marzia Tartari;Andrea Crotti;Donato Goffredo

  • Huntington disease: natural history, biomarkers and prospects for therapeutics

    Christopher A Ross;Elizabeth Hoppes Aylward;Edward J Wild;Douglas R Langbehn

  • Biological and clinical manifestations of Huntington's disease in the longitudinal TRACK-HD study: cross-sectional analysis of baseline data.

    Sarah J Tabrizi;Douglas R Langbehn;Blair R Leavitt;Raymund A C Roos

  • A YAC mouse model for Huntington's disease with full-length mutant huntingtin, cytoplasmic toxicity, and selective striatal neurodegeneration.

    J.Graeme Hodgson;Nadia Agopyan;Claire-Anne Gutekunst;Blair R Leavitt

  • Predictors of phenotypic progression and disease onset in premanifest and early-stage Huntington's disease in the TRACK-HD study: analysis of 36-month observational data

    Sarah J Tabrizi;Rachael I Scahill;Gail N Owen;Alexandra Durr

  • Selective striatal neuronal loss in a YAC128 mouse model of Huntington disease

    Elizabeth J. Slow;Jeremy van Raamsdonk;Daniel Rogers;Sarah H. Coleman

  • Huntington disease

    Unknown

  • Cleavage at the caspase-6 site is required for neuronal dysfunction and degeneration due to mutant huntingtin.

    Rona K. Graham;Yu Deng;Elizabeth J. Slow;Brendan Haigh

  • A novel pathogenic pathway of immune activation detectable before clinical onset in Huntington's disease

    Maria Björkqvist;Edward J. Wild;Jenny Thiele;Aurelio Silvestroni

  • Increased Sensitivity to N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor-Mediated Excitotoxicity in a Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease.

    Melinda M Zeron;Oskar Hansson;Nansheng Chen;Cheryl L Wellington

  • Biological and clinical changes in premanifest and early stage Huntington's disease in the TRACK-HD study: the 12-month longitudinal analysis

    Sarah J Tabrizi;Rachael I Scahill;Alexandra Durr;Raymund A C Roos

  • Potential endpoints for clinical trials in premanifest and early Huntington's disease in the TRACK-HD study: analysis of 24 month observational data

    Sarah J Tabrizi;Ralph Reilmann;Raymond A C Roos;Alexandra Durr

  • Caspase Cleavage of Mutant Huntingtin Precedes Neurodegeneration in Huntington's Disease

    Cheryl L. Wellington;Lisa M. Ellerby;Claire-Anne Gutekunst;Danny Rogers

  • Targeting Huntingtin Expression in Patients with Huntington’s Disease

    Sarah J. Tabrizi;Blair R. Leavitt;G. Bernhard Landwehrmeyer;Edward J. Wild

  • Inhibiting caspase cleavage of huntingtin reduces toxicity and aggregate formation in neuronal and nonneuronal cells.

    Cheryl L. Wellington;Roshni Singaraja;Lisa Ellerby;Jane Savill

  • Fragile-X–Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS) in Females with the FMR1 Premutation

    Randi J Hagerman;B. R. Leavitt;F. Farzin;S. Jacquemont

  • Recruitment and activation of caspase-8 by the Huntingtin-interacting protein Hip-1 and a novel partner Hippi.

    François G. Gervais;Roshni Singaraja;Steven Xanthoudakis;Claire-Anne Gutekunst

Frequent Co-Authors

Sarah J. Tabrizi
Sarah J. Tabrizi University College London
Michael R. Hayden
Michael R. Hayden University of British Columbia
Alexandra Durr
Alexandra Durr Sorbonne University
Julie C. Stout
Julie C. Stout Monash University
Rachael I. Scahill
Rachael I. Scahill University College London
Raymund A.C. Roos
Raymund A.C. Roos Leiden University Medical Center
Douglas R. Langbehn
Douglas R. Langbehn University of Iowa
Ralf Reilmann
Ralf Reilmann University of Tübingen
Jeffrey D. Long
Jeffrey D. Long University of Iowa
David Craufurd
David Craufurd University of Manchester

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Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

For students interested in neuroscience, there are several related online degrees and career paths worth exploring. Many choose to branch into psychology, which shares a strong foundation with neuroscience. Programs such as psychology degrees online offer flexibility and affordability, making it easier for students to balance studies and other commitments.

Specializations in counseling and therapy are also popular. Those drawn to family dynamics and clinical practice may be interested in mft programs, which prepare graduates for licensure as marriage and family therapists.

If you’re considering advanced study, affordable online masters in psychology can open doors to research roles, education, and specialized practice. Many also seek careers in social work, with options such as msw programs providing accessible routes to graduate credentials and eventual licensure.

Each of these pathways can complement a neuroscience background and offer diverse opportunities in healthcare, education, and research.

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