Emily Willis
Replacing microglia to combat Alzheimer's disease
Award
Dementia Australia Research Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship
Status
In progress
Start Date
1 March 2026
About the project
What is the focus of the research?
Exploring whether replacing faulty immune cells in the brain can prevent or reverse memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease.
Why is this important?
In Alzheimer’s disease, microglia, the brain’s immune cells, malfunction and stop clearing away toxic proteins that contribute to memory loss and cognitive decline. Microglia are emerging as a key factor in disease progression, but unfortunately, there are no effective treatments.
This project will take a two-pronged approach. First, it will test whether activating a key immune pathway in the brain, called gp130 signalling, can restore microglia function. Second, it will examine whether replacing diseased microglia with healthy ones can prevent or reverse cognitive decline in mice with Alzheimer’s disease.
Understanding how to reinvigorate the brain’s immune cells could provide a completely new strategy to protect brain health and prevent memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease.
What could it mean for dementia research?
- Evidence that restoring healthy microglia can prevent or reverse memory loss.
- A proof-of-concept for microglia transplantation as a future treatment approach.
- New avenues for treatments that support the brain’s immune system to combat dementia.
Where are they now?
Dr Emily Willis a post-doctoral research fellow in the Neuroimmunology and Cognition laboratory at The University of Queensland.
