Restoring Defective Protein Homeostasis In Frontotemporal Dementia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$720,144.00
Summary
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is associated with pathological accumulation and aggregation of toxic proteins in affected brain regions. This project will employ a novel high throughput drug screening platform technology, FTD patient-derived nerve cells and genetic mouse models to screen drugs to improve clearance of toxic proteins and nerve cell health. This approach should accelerate discovery of agents to potentially treat the underlying cause of FTD in an effort to slow disease progression.
The Missing Link: MGluR5 As A Therapeutic Target For Cognitive Decline In Dementia
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$563,622.00
Summary
Cognitive decline is a core feature of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), yet there is no cure or treatment. Recent evidence suggests that a protein called mGluR5 could cause brain cells to lose function, leading to memory loss. This project will investigate whether disrupting mGluR5 function can improve cognition in mice with genetic AD. Memory will be assessed in mice using innovative touchscreen tests that closely mimic the tests used in humans.
DIREKT: Disarming The Intravascular Innate Immune Response To Improve Modalities For Chronic Kidney Disease Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$362,830.00
Summary
Dialysis is the mainstay treatment for patients with end-stage kidney disease while they await transplantation. However, the dialysis process causes inflammation in patients, affecting their health and longevity. This project aims to develop new bioreagents that can be applied to dialysis devices to reduce inflammation and thus improve patient outcomes. These bioreagents will also be used to modify donor kidneys so that they are protected from inflammation associated with transplantation.