UOW researcher awarded more than $700k from Race Against Dementia to investigate new approaches to targeting devastating disease
A major grant from Dementia Australia Research Foundation will help a University of Wollongong (UOW) researcher to make significant strides in the fight against Alzheimer's Disease, by harnessing the power of the brain's natural 'clean up' crew.
Dr Simon Maksour, an Associate Research Fellow in UOW's School of Science and Molecular Horizons, has been awarded $715,000 as part of a Dementia Australia Research Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellowship, funded by Race Against Dementia, a global non-profit organisation that funds pioneering research into the prevention and cure of dementia.
Over five years, Dr Maksour's research will explore a new way to treat Alzheimer's disease by focusing on microglia, a collection of immune cells that help rid the brain of harmful proteins, eliminate dead cells, maintain strong neural connections, and ensure everything is in working order.
"Alzheimer's disease does not need to be a normal part of aging," Dr Maksour said. After decades of research we still do not have a cure or effective treatments. As a field we need to think differently to develop new therapies. This grant is the first step in developing a potential therapy to help people affected by Alzheimer's disease."
The project, led by Dr Maksour under the mentorship of Professor Lezanne Ooi, will bring together collaborators from the Children's Medical Research Institute in Sydney and the University of Antwerp in Belgium.
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, and is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that results in impaired memory, thinking and behaviour. There is no effective treatment or cure for Alzheimer's disease. Incidences of dementia are on the rise and are projected to double in Australia over the next 40 years.
Changes in the brain of those with Alzheimer's include a build-up of toxic forms of proteins, including amyloid and tau, and inflammation involving microglia cells.
Treatments have largely focused on removing brain amyloid, with newly approved approaches only mildly effective in slowing progression or symptoms and have significant side effects.
Dr Maksour said microglia, which have not received the same attention in the research process as amyloid and tau, could hold the key to understanding and treating Alzheimer's.
"Microglia are known as the brain's natural 'clean-up crew'. These immune cells are vital to the health of the brain; they clear out harmful proteins and keep the brain healthy, but when they don't work properly, they can contribute to the progression of Alzheimer's disease," Dr Maksour said.
"During this project, I will test whether a novel gene therapy using innovative technolgies, to deliver critical genes to abnormally functioning microglia can restore them to a healthy state, which will protect neurons from dying and slow the progression and severity of the disease."
Dr Simon Maksour, a researcher at Molecular Horizons.
Dr Maksour will harness the state-of-the-art technology at UOW's Molecular Horizons to send specific instructions to the microglia. The approach will be tested using advanced laboratory methods, including "mini brains" grown in the dish.
If successful, it could benefit people living with Alzheimer's disease as well as other neurodegenerative conditions. Dr Maksour's previous research has focused on Motor Neurone Disease, Friederichs's Ataxia, Vanishing White Matter Disease, Huntington's Disease, and Parkinson's Disease.
"Alzheimer's is a debilitating disease that shatters lives. This project, which brings together an incredible team of researchers and cutting-edge tools, is working towards giving new hope to people who are living with dementia and their families."
Senior Professor Eileen McLaughlin, UOW's Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research and Sustainable Futures), congratulated Dr Maksour on the significant funding.
"Dementia is one of the greatest health challenges of our time, and this funding provides a crucial boost to our efforts to find answers. It fuels our hope that we can make significant progress in the fight against dementia."
