Identifying whether different forms of TDP-43 aggregates are responsible for the differences in disease severity and progression seen in people with MND.
Principal Investigator: Dr Rebecca Saleeb
Lead Institution: University of Edinburgh
MND Association Funding: £257,736 - Junior Non-Clinical Fellowship*
Funding dates: April 2023 - March 2026
* Supported by the Lady Edith Wolfson Fellowship Programme
About the project
Some cases of MND are caused by a build-up of a protein called TDP-43, which clumps together to form toxic “aggregates”, leading to motor neuron damage and death. The differences in symptoms and severity between people with MND may be partly due to differences in the accumulation of TDP-43. A custom-designed technology has been developed that allows the features of the aggregates to be seen in high levels of detail so that they can be characterised by similar features. This project will use this state-of-the-art technology to characterise the differences between TDP-43 aggregates in post-mortem tissue. This information will be used alongside knowledge of how the disease developed to identify different aggregate types and investigate their use as early prognostic markers.
What could this mean for MND research?
Understanding the different forms of TDP-43 aggregates and developing ways to detect them early in the disease could help to predict someone’s disease course and give a better indication of prognosis. This could also make it easier to identify the most appropriate clinical trial for people with MND and progress towards a personalised treatment approach in the future.
I’m delighted to have been awarded the Lady Edith Wolfson Non-Clinical Research Fellowship. ALS is a devastating disease, and I am grateful to the MND Association for supporting my research into better understanding the molecules that drive it. It is truly a scientist’s dream to work on such impactful science and with the continued support of my incredible mentors and collaborators, I hope it will be the start of a fruitful independent research career.
Dr Rebecca Saleeb
Project code: 980-799
