Contact: Dr Chiara Marini-Bettolo, Clinical Lead
Telephone: 0191 241 8600
The John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre at the International Centre for Life is one of three centres in England for the diagnosis and management of inherited muscle diseases.
The Centre is supported by the British Muscular Dystrophy Campaign – in addition to being a major international centre for research into rare inherited muscle disorders.
Muscle Clinics
The muscle team runs clinics for children and adults throughout the North of England.
For adults, the main clinic base is the Northern Genetics Service at the International Centre for Life.
The main base for the children’s clinic is The Great North Children’s Hospital at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.
Children’s clinics are also held at a range of other locations throughout the region, in conjunction with local physiotherapists and other local staff. In addition to the clinics at the International Centre for Life, adult clinics are also held in James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough and the Central Clinic Carlisle.
We try to ensure that all clinics are multidisciplinary and attended by all members of the team.
Highly Specialised Service for Rare Neuromuscular Disorders
In addition to the paediatric and adult clinics for people living in the Northern region of England, we have the possibility to offer appointments to people from all over the country in whom a diagnosis of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) is suspected.
Newcastle Hospitals hosts the national LGMD diagnostic and advisory service. People with a suspected diagnosis of LGMD can be seen, or have muscle or DNA sent for analysis here. We require some clinical information about patients before accepting referrals.
Contact us
For a copy of the information pack, which includes dispatch instructions for sending muscle biopsies and DNA samples, and copies of the preâreferral forms please contact the service administrator:
Ms Susan Robinson
NCG Administrator
Muscle Immunoanalysis Unit
Lower Ground Floor
Dental Hospital
Richardson Road
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AZ
Telephone: 0191 2820841
Email: n.scag@ncl.ac.uk