Andrew Cassidy graduated from Bell Street Technical college in 1989 with an HND in Biological Sciences. He joined the research group of Professor Brian Burchell at the Medical School in 1990 and he completed his MSc entitled “ Identification and Isolation of Novel Exons within the UGT1 Gene Complex.” in 1996.

Andrew went on to establish the DNA Analysis Facilty, a unit that would eventually become a key factor in attracting Professor McLean to the Medical School. The Facility offers DNA analysis services to the Medical School and other research groups around the world and has strong ties to the NHS Trust Molecular Genetics Laboratory at Ninewells Hospital.

His PhD interests revolve around the skin peeling disorders. He has recently identified the first causative gene in this heterogeneous group of skin disorders and demonstrates that the protein cross-linking function performed by TG5 is vital for maintaining cell-cell adhesion between the outermost layers of the epidermis. Andrew is also working on the epithelial disorders pachyonychia congenita and white sponge nevus and is currently involved in setting up the Human Intermediate Filament Mutation Database in collaboration with The Centre for Molecular Medicine, Biopolis, Singapore.

Selected Publications:

1. Clarke DJ, Cassidy AJ, See CG et al. Cloning of the human UGT1 gene complex in yeast artificial chromosomes: novel aspects of gene structure and subchromosomal mapping to 2q37. Biochem Soc Trans 1997; 25: S562.

2. Clarke DJ, Moghrabi N, Monaghan G, Cassidy AJ et al. Genetic defects of the UDP-glucuronosyltransferase-1 (UGT1) gene that cause familial non-haemolytic unconjugated hyperbilirubinaemias. Clin Chim Acta 1997; 266: 63-74.

3. Jedlitschky G, Cassidy AJ, Sales M et al. Cloning and characterization of a novel human olfactory UDP- glucuronosyltransferase. Biochem J 1999; 340: 837-43.

4. Cassidy AJ, van Steensel MA, Steijlen PM et al. A homozygous missense mutation in TGM5 abolishes epidermal transglutaminase 5 activity and causes acral peeling skin syndrome. Am J Hum Genet 2005; 77: 909-17.

5. McLean WH, Smith FJ, Cassidy AJ. Insights into genotype-phenotype correlation in pachyonychia congenita from the human intermediate filament mutation database. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc 2005; 10: 31-6.

6. Smith FJ, Liao H, Cassidy AJ et al. The genetic basis of pachyonychia congenita. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc 2005; 10: 21-30.

7.   Sandilands A, O’Regan G, Liao H, Zhao Y, Terron-Kwiatkowski A, Watson RM, Cassidy AJ, Goudie DR, Smith FJD, McLean WHI and Irvine AD (2006) Ancestral and family-specific mutations in the gene encoding filaggrin cause ichthyosis vulgaris and predispose individuals to atopic dermatitis. J Invest Dermatol, 126:1770-1775 [Epub ahead of print, Jun 29, 2006]