Magdalena Przybyla

This research focuses on developing a groundbreaking gene therapy for dementia, specifically targeting Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia. These conditions often involve "excitotoxicity," where overactive neurons cause cell death and cognitive decline. The project aims to create a precise, on-demand gene therapy that can selectively regulate the activity of p38γ, a protein shown to protect neurons from this damage. Using advanced gene therapy techniques, the therapy will be designed to activate only in overactive neurons, reducing the risk of side effects on healthy cells. 

The approach will be tested in lab-grown neurons, human stem cell models, and mouse models of dementia to evaluate its effectiveness and safety. If successful, this innovative therapy could pave the way for more precise, personalised treatments for dementia and other neurological disorders involving overactive neurons, such as epilepsy and motor neuron disease. By addressing the limitations of current gene therapies, this research has the potential to revolutionise how we treat complex brain diseases and improve patient outcomes.

Dr Magdalena Przybyla is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Dementia Research Centre within the Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University Her research focuses on developing and testing innovative treatments for neurodegenerative diseases and using advanced models to deepen our understanding of how these conditions progress.