Jonathan Jarvis studied Physics and Physiology at the University of London, and completed his doctorate on activation of muscle in Duchenne dystrophy at Imperial College. He has worked on the response of muscle to training for his postgraduate career. He is now Reader in Human Anatomy and Cell Biology in the School of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Liverpool. Jonathan will take responsibility for the mouse models of alkaptonuria in this project. He has considerable experience of the statutory framework regulating this type of work in the UK, and the need for careful consideration of husbandry and welfare.

He has developed new techniques of exercising muscles in rodents, using miniature muscle pacemakers. These will be used to find out whether the pigment deposition seen in alkaptonuria may be related to mechanical stress, that is, loading and unloading of joints, muscles and bones. This will help us to understand the triggers for pigment deposition in alkaptonuria: in turn, this may allow us to devise strategies to interefere with or to prevent pigment deposition, and to give sound advice concerning lifestyle with AKU.