Sayanthooran Saravanabavan

This research explores how a specific type of regulatory molecule, known as circular RNA (circRNA), contributes to the development of frontotemporal dementia, a condition that affects behaviour, decision-making, and communication. CircRNAs are highly stable molecules that build up in brain cells as people age, potentially interacting with proteins like TDP-43 and FUS, which are linked to brain cell damage in frontotemporal dementia and other dementias. The study aims to understand how these interactions lead to brain cell damage and whether circRNAs could serve as early biomarkers for diagnosing frontotemporal dementia or as targets for future treatments.

Using advanced laboratory techniques, this project will analyse brain tissue from aging individuals and blood samples from people living with frontotemporal dementia to better understand the role of circRNAs in triggering the disease. If successful, this research could uncover new ways to detect frontotemporal dementia early and develop therapies to slow its progression, offering hope for improved outcomes in dementia care.

Dr Sayanthooran Saravanabavan is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre, Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University. His research focuses on how changes in RNA, a molecule that helps regulate and interpret genetic information, is linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as motor neuron disease and frontotemporal dementia.