Simon Maksour
Targeting microglia as a novel treatment strategy for Alzheimer's disease.
Award
Race Against Dementia and Dementia Research Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship
Status
In progress
Start Date
1 June 2025
About the project
This research is exploring a new way to treat Alzheimer’s disease by focusing on microglia, which are the brain’s natural "clean-up crew." These immune cells help clear out harmful proteins and keep the brain healthy, but when they don’t work properly, they can contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. This project aims to use a special delivery system, called AAV vectors, to send specific instructions to microglia, helping them return to a healthy state. This approach will be tested using advanced lab methods, including brain cell models and mice with human-like Alzheimer’s symptoms.
If successful, it could lead to a completely new treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, improving brain health and slowing disease progression. This innovative research could not only benefit people living with Alzheimer’s disease but also open doors for treating other neurodegenerative conditions. With a team of experts and cutting-edge tools, the project is working towards giving people living with dementia and families new hope for the future.
Where are they now?
Dr Simon Maksour is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Wollongong, in the Neurodevelopment and Neurodegeneration lab. His research utilises stem cells from people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases to grow neural cells in a dish to better understand the causes of disease and develop new therapies.
