Alex Johnson

What is the focus of the research?

Developing better, more accurate mouse models of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) that could be used to test new treatments and pave the way to clinical trials.

What will the travel grant achieve?

Efforts to model frontotemporal dementia in the lab are slow because current methods fall short in their similarity to the human brain and often don't mimic the disease closely enough. By implanting donor-derived human cells into mouse brains, this project aims to create a disease model with symptoms closer to the real disease. The goal is to develop and test treatments more effectively before they reach clinical trials on people.

As part of his PhD project, Alex Johnson will undergo a placement at Sweden’s Lund University to learn advanced cell-implantation techniques from a world leader in this field. He will also attend major neuroscience conference to present his ideas, receive expert feedback and build global collaborations.

What could it mean for dementia research?

• More accurate FTD models to test potential therapies.
• Faster progress toward treatments that can move into clinical trials.
• Stronger international collaboration and knowledge sharing.
• Growth of Australian expertise and leadership in dementia research.

Alex Johnson is a PhD candidate within the Thompson Laboratory, Charles Perkins Centre at The University of Sydney.