Janet van Eersel

What is the focus of the research?

Developing a new drug treatment for Alzheimer’s disease by targeting a protein called tau, which damages brain cells and drives disease progression.

Why is this important?

New Alzheimer’s disease treatments are costly, invasive and only help a small number of people. They also target just one harmful brain protein, amyloid-beta.

Another protein called tau plays a major role in Alzheimer’s disease. In dementia, tau becomes toxic and forms tangles inside brain cells, damaging them. Dr van Eersel has identified small, drug-like compounds that bind to a specific harmful part of tau and block its interaction with another protein, fyn. This interaction is known to drive brain cell damage.

This project will test whether these compounds bind safely and effectively to tau, are suitable for use as an oral medication and can protect brain function in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. The aim is to generate strong pre-clinical evidence to support future drug development.

If successful, these drugs could be used alongside existing treatments to improve outcomes, or as a simpler pill-based option that is easier for people to access and tolerate.

What could this mean for dementia research?

• A new treatment approach that targets tau.
• Drugs that work alongside current Alzheimer’s disease therapies.
• Progress toward a daily pill instead of invasive hospital treatments.
• Clear steps toward clinical trials and real-world use.

Dr van Eersel is a senior lecturer and group leader of the drug discovery research team within the Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie University.