State of Play - Webinar Series 2021
State of Play is a Webinar Series organised by MND Research Australia. It is dedicated to all members of the MND Community and aims to introduce the advancements of the research community in Australia.
No scientific background is required!
"Attacking the causes of MND"
Tuesday 20 April at 7pm (AEST)
With Dr Alan Yu and Dr Luke McAlary
The recording of this session is now available to watch online on the MND Australia YouTube page HERE
"Genes: causes and treatments for MND"
Wednesday May 5 2021 at 7pm (AEST)
Join us for MND Week and Ask the Research Experts: Dr Emily McCann and Professor Anthony Akkari
The recording of this session is now available to watch online. Genes: causes and treatments for MND - 5 May 2021 - YouTube
You can also view the State of Play Webinar Series from 2020!
Step into the Lab
What can mice models and stem-cells teach us about MND?
Dr Samantha Barton works in the Motor Neurone Disease Laboratory at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health. Dr Barton is the 2020 recipient of the MND Research Australia 'Jenny Simko MND Research Grant' titled: Could abnormal myelin composition be exacerbating neuronal dysfunction in MND?
Dr Adam Walker heads up the Walker Group at the University of Queensland's QBI (Queensland Brain Institute). The Walker group are investigating the malfunction of an essential protein known as TDP-43, which malfunctions in motor neurone disease and frontotemporal dementia - both fatal neurodegenerative diseases that currently lack effective treatments. Dr Walker is the 2020 MND Research Australia recipient of the MNDRA Innovator Grant titled: New mouse models of TDP-43 pathology.
The recording of this session is now available to watch online on the MND Australia Facebook page HERE
Improving Care
Novel Therapies and Healthcare Decision-Making
Dr David Berlowitz is a physiotherapist who leads an international team who examine the causes and treatments of sleep and breathing disorders in neuromuscular disease, especially in Spinal Cord Injury and Motor Neurone Disease. Dr Berlowitz is the 2020 recipient of MND Research Australia's Mavis Gallienne and Graham Lang MND Victoria Research Grant titled: NIV@Home.
Camille Paynter is a PhD candidate at the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology at the University of Melbourne. Ms Paynter is the recipient of MND Research Australia's PhD Scholarship Top-Up Grant (2018 - 2020) titled: A longitudinal study of involvement in health care decision-making in motor neurone disease: Patient and caregiver perceptions, impact of communication and swallowing difficulties, and quality of life.
The recording of this session is now available to watch online on the MND Australia Facebook page HERE.
Measuring Progression
How is the progression of MND measured?
Dr Mehdi van den Bos is a neurologist at Westmead Hospital. Dr van den Bos is the 2020 MND Research Australia recipient of the Beryl Bayley MND Postdoctoral Fellowship titled: Deep learning as a tool to advance the diagnosis and pathophysiological understanding of ALS.
Dr Mary-Louise Rogers works from Flinders University and her research focuses on treatment strategies and biomarker discovery for motor neurone disease. Dr Rogers is the 2020 MND Research Australia recipient of the MNDRA Innovator Grant titled: Urinary Neopterin as a candidate biomarker that can be used to test disease progress in clinical trials for Motor Neurone Disease.
The recording of this session is now available to watch online on the MND Australia Facebook page HERE
Pathways to Treatment
What do brain activity and metabolism have to do with MND?
Dr Frederik Steyn works at the University of Queensland and is undertaking studies to improve our understanding of neurodegenerative disease, including motor neurone disease. These studies have included creating methodologies for improved assessment of energy expenditure in patients with MND and developing a research platform that has received traction for improved detection of hypermetabolism in neurodegenerative disease. Dr Steyn is the 2020 recipient of MND Research Australia's Fat Rabbit MND Research Grant titled: Tipping the Scales on MND: Preclinical testing of a compound with multiple actions to slow disease progression in MND.
Dr Richard Gordon works at the University of Queensland and conducts research into topics including clinical biomarkers for Parkinson's and MND, drug repurposing for progressive neurodegeneration and immune and inflammatory mechanisms in neurodegenerative disease. Dr Gordon is the 2020 recipient of MND Research Australia's Col Bambrick MND Research Grant titled: Targeting inflammasome-driven neuropathology and motor neuron death in MND using a clinically approved cancer drug.
The recording of this session is now available to watch online on the MND Australia YouTube page HERE