Using zebrafish to understand more about MND
There is a wide range of projects that FightMND supports through grant funding. These include projects:
- building our understanding of MND
- addressing roadblocks to treatment
- helping to progress the development of treatments.
One project type invested in by FightMND is Discovery projects. These projects aim to understand why motor neurone disease (MND) occurs and what drives its progression. They advance our understanding of MND. Increasing the chances of developing effective treatments or a cure.
Associate Professor Marco Morsch is Co-Director of Research at the Macquarie Medical School at Macquarie University. He founded one of Australia’s first zebrafish research programs into MND This program investigates how neurodegenerative diseases, like MND, develop. Through his research, Associate Professor Morsch is helping to uncover critical insights into neurological disorders.
In 2024, Associate Professor Morsch received a FightMND Discovery Grant to support his research on a protein called TDP-43.
In this interview, he shares what inspired him to focus on MND research and talks about his journey so far.
What made you decide to pursue a career in MND research?
My motivation to pursue research in MND stems from the need for more knowledge and treatments for this devastating condition. The more I learn about the complexity of MND and the challenges in finding effective therapies, the more driven I became to contribute to this field.
I am passionate about uncovering mechanisms that lead to neurodegeneration, particularly in MND, and finding ways to halt or reverse its progression. Knowing that each discovery, even at the basic science level, could bring us one step closer to relief for patients and families inspires me and my team to get into the lab every day.
Can you tell us a bit about your research to date?
Before receiving the 2024 funding, my research focused on understanding how protein clumping happens and how nerve cells interact with supporting cells, called glial cells. I studied how proteins like tau and TDP-43 become toxic when they clump inside neurons and how this affects nearby support cells.
Using models like zebrafish, I examined what happens when these proteins are overproduced in nerve or glial cells. This research has helped me understand how protein clumping leads to neurodegeneration.
What is your current project about?
This project looks at how the TDP-43 protein is kept stable and functional in cells. Zebrafish will be used to provide a see-through view of this protein in action.
TDP-43 is important for normal cell activity, but when it misfolds and forms clumps, it contributes to diseases like ALS / MND. By understanding how TDP-43 stays in its proper shape, we hope to find ways to stop it from clumping, which could lead to new treatments for ALS / MND and similar diseases.
What do you hope to achieve with your project?
Our goal is to find specific molecules that can help keep the TDP-43 protein in its healthy, functional state. By doing so, we hope to prevent or even reverse the toxic clumping of TDP-43. This could lead to new ways to protect nerve cells and slow or stop disease progression.
How does your project contribute to the MND research community?
Our project will provide new understanding of how TDP-43 clumps together, revealing potential targets for treatment that could help advance ALS / MND research worldwide.
How does a FightMND grant help your project?
This Discovery grant allows us to build on my earlier research findings and focus on early strategies to stop harmful protein clumping before it causes damage.
It also allows me to explore multiple models in more detail, speeding up the search for potential treatments for ALS/MND.
Why is it important for Australians to continue to donate to FightMND?
Investment into MND research is crucial for translating findings from basic research into potential therapies. This, in turn, significantly advances our progress toward clinical applications.
Donations are vital to support the groundbreaking research happening in Australia and all over the world. This funding is helping accelerate research with the ultimate goal of finding effective treatments and one day a cure for MND.
Investing in research to beat the Beast
The road to a cure for MND is long and challenging, but it’s one we’re travelling together — step by step, breakthrough by breakthrough. The only way forward is through relentless, world-class research. But that research takes time, dedication, and, most importantly, investment.
For a decade, we’ve stood united in the fight against MND, determined to defeat the Beast. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, Australia has emerged as a global hub for MND research. The country’s scientists are not just contributing to the fight — they’re leading it, and their work is making waves worldwide.
In 2024, FightMND is investing a further $18.89 million into groundbreaking research and vital care initiatives. This investment brings our total funding to a staggering $115.78 million.
The projects we’re supporting this year build on the remarkable progress we’ve made so far, with one clear goal: to improve the lives of those living with MND and bring us closer to a cure.
Want to see how your support is making a difference? Dive into our 2024 Cure and Care Investment Booklet to discover the incredible projects we’re backing in 2024.
Together we can beat the Beast that is MND.
