Researchers to spearhead international projects that will unlock crucial knowledge about the cause of fatal disease
Two University of Wollongong (UOW) scientists have been awarded close to $1.3 million from FightMND for research projects with the potential to transform how Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is understood and treated. Molecular Horizons researchers Dr Luke McAlary and Dr Dezerae Cox received approximately $1 million and $300,000 respectively from the charity, which was established to find effective treatments and a cure for the devastating disease.
Dr McAlary, who received a FightMND Discovery Grant, will lead an international team on a project that brings together cutting-edge genetics, advanced cell biology and large-scale chemical screening to unlock new insights into the key MND protein, TDP-43.
They will study how mutations affect TDP-43, to understand how the protein functions and identify which genes safeguard and which ones damage it. Another line of investigation will look at the link between toxic chemicals and TDP-43, exploring how a wide range of everyday chemicals can compromise the protein.
"The impact of these projects could be transformative for MND research and patients living with MND," said Dr McAlary. "It's amazing to have FightMND supporting this research. My job is to make sure we hit all our milestones and provide real progress for those in Australia and the world who have or will develop MND."
Dr Cox received a FightMND Impact Grant to develop tools to study SOD1, another protein linked to MND. A mutation can cause SOD1 to misfold and form harmful clumps in nerve cells, impacting cell health and energy supply. However, researchers lack the sensitive molecular tools needed to understand how these clumps form.
Leading a team of researchers in Australia, Canada, and the UK, Dr Cox will deliver a molecular toolbox to detect SOD1 clumps and unlock essential knowledge about how the disease takes hold and changes over time.
"This funding represents a significant step in advancing our molecular technologies toward tangible benefit for the MND community," Dr Cox said. "I'm extremely grateful for FightMND's support and excited to get started. This success reflects the efforts of a fantastic and dedicated team of researchers, and I feel very fortunate to lead this project with guidance from world-leading MND experts."
MND is a fatal disease that attacks the nerves in the brain and spinal cord, gradually robbing people of their ability to move, speak and eventually breathe.
