MND Research Australia (MNDRA)

Professor David Burke has been recognised for eminent service to neurophysiology, to innovative treatments for spinal cord and brain trauma injuries, and to professional medical organisations. Professor Burke was the first medical Chairman of MNDRA (1995-1998), following inaugural Chairman Dr Dawn Thew, who founded the Institute in 1986. In October 2019, Professor Burke returned to the role of Chairman of the research committee.

Associate Professor Rebekah Ahmed is a NHMRC Early Career Fellow at the Brain and Mind Centre and staff specialist Neurologist at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, where she directs the multidisciplinary Memory and Cognition Clinic. She is a clinician scientist with her research focusing on metabolic biomarkers in neurodegeneration. Rebekah joined the MNDRA Research Committee in 2020.

Samar Aoun is Professor of Palliative Care, La Trobe University. She is a palliative care researcher with a public health approach and a focus on under-served population groups such as people with MND and she strongly advocates for a person-centred health and social care. Her work on supporting family caregivers at end of life and the public health approach to bereavement care has informed policy and practice at the national and international levels. Prof Aoun is currently Chairperson of the MND Association of WA.

Professor Blair is Director of the Macquarie University Centre for MND Research, a clinical and research program with over 80 research personnel. He conceives, instigates and leads studies to unravel the molecular genetic and cellular basis of MND and frontotemporal dementia. His genetics and genomics program has been a key player in many MND gene discoveries over the last 15 years. These discoveries have translated to diagnostic tests, informed clinical practice and genetic counselling. These genes have also enabled the development of cell and animal models that are the basis of basic science-research as well as pre-clinical trials and therapeutic development.

Professor Tracey Dickson heads a research group investigating the cellular mechanism underlying MND at the Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania. The group's research focuses on using a range of novel in vitro primary culture models, in conjunction with transgenic models and human post-mortem analysis. Dr Dickson's broader research program investigates at the cellular level mechanisms relevant to a range of neurodegenerative diseases including Frontotemporal dementia and Parkinson's disease and also traumatic brain injury. Dr Dickson's goal through identifying the sequence of pathogenic events occurring in MND is to identify novel therapeutic targets.

Professor Michelle Farrar has a focus in Paediatric Neurology at UNSW Sydney and is a specialist child neurologist at Sydney Children’s Hospital, leading the neuromuscular clinical and research programs. Michelle’s team is focused on developing and translating innovative ways of providing the best possible care from the time of diagnosis, through treatment and beyond to people with neuromuscular, neurodevelopmental or rare neurogenetic diseases. The research program also integrates interdisciplinary genomics research, together with community and consumer involvement. Michelle joined the MNDRA Research Committee in 2020.

Dr Anne Hogden works at the University of New South Wales as a Senior Lecturer with the School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health. Her overarching research has the aim of understanding how health-care managers can best promote safe and high-quality care. Anne’s focus is to ensure that wherever possible, MND patients are supported to be cared for on their terms and that quality of life is promoted at every opportunity. Anne joined the MNDRA Research Committee in 2020.

Professor Marina Kennerson directs the Translational Gene Discovery and Functional Genomics Program for Rare Neurogenetic Diseases at the Northcott Neuroscience Laboratory, ANZAC Research Institute. Her research focuses on identifying the genetic causes and mechanisms underlying motor neuron death for a spectrum of motor neuron disorders including Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, MND and motor neuropathies. Her research program uses multi-omics technologies with a focus on structural variation DNA re-arrangements for gene discovery as well as stem cell derived patient motor neurons and the round worm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) for developing in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical models for newly identified disease genes. Marina joined the MNDRA Research Committee in 2021.   

Professor Kiernan is the Bushell Chair of Neurology at the University of Sydney and Co-Director at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre. He is Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry and President of the Australian Brain Foundation. Professor Kiernan and his team are currently investigating the mechanisms and possible prevention of neurodegeneration in MND, as well as being involved in clinical trials investigating potential drug treatments for motor neurone disease. He was the Chair of the MNDRA Research Committee from 2014 to 2019.

Professor Anna King is a neuroscientist, NHMRC boosting dementia research leadership fellow and Associate Director (research) at the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at the University of Tasmania where she leads a team of researchers, technical staff and students. Prof King received training in molecular biology and biochemistry at Durham University (UK) and the Heart Research Institute (Australia), before completing her PhD in neuropathology of ALS at the University of Tasmania in 2008. Her research interests span cell to human studies and lie in understanding, detecting and preventing the adverse neuronal changes that result in the clinical symptoms of neurodegenerative disease with a focus on vulnerable structures such as the axon and synapse. Professor King joined the MNDRA Research Committee in 2021. 

Consultant Neurologist at Monash Medical Centre, and the Clinical Director of Neurology at Calvary Health Care Bethlehem, Melbourne, which provides neuro-rehabilitative and neuro-palliative services to people with progressive neurological diseases including over 200 people with MND. Dr Mathers is a member of the MND Research Tissue Bank of Victoria and a founding member of the Australian MND Register. Dr Mather's main interests are in the management of chronic progressive neurological diseases and models of care. She is currently involved in a project to implement a state-wide integrated care service for people with progressive neurological diseases in Victoria.

Professor Pamela McCombe’s research interest is in the field of neuroimmunology, both in how the immune system causes disease of the nervous system, and more recently in how the immune system might contribute to recovery from damage. Much of her work in neuroimmunology has been done in the fields of MS and in neuromuscular disorders. Professor McCombe's interest in neuromuscular diseases led to studies of ALS, both in neurophysiology and in immunology.

Associate Professor Allan McRae heads the Systems Genomics group at the University of Queensland. The group combines genetic analysis of complex traits and disease in large cohorts with genomics data to develop insights into the underlying mechanisms of human variation. Allan is an ARC Future Fellow and an NHMRC career development fellow at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience. Allan joined the MNDRA Research Committee in 2020.

Associate Professor Shyuan Ngo heads a research group investigating neurometabolism in MND at the University of Queensland, the Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital (RBWH) and the Wesley Hospital. As the Scott Sullivan MND Research Fellow, Associate Professor Ngo oversees a research program that centres on the MND clinics at the RBWH and Wesley. Her patient-directed research is complemented by extensive basic research using a range of transgenic models, human myosatellite cells, and human induced pluripotent stem cell derived neurons. Associate Professor Ngo’s broader research program aims to identify pathogenic mechanisms in MND with the goal to develop or re-purpose therapeutic compounds for personalised medicine for MND.

Associate Professor Mary-Louise Rogers’ research interest is in treatment strategies and biomarker discovery for MND. Mary-Louise leads the translational Ian Davis Flinders University Biomarker facility and the research undertaken in the Neurotrophic Laboratory. Mary-Louise is on the board of MND South Australia and joined the MNDRA Research Committee in 2020.

Professor Dominic Rowe is the Inaugural Professor of Neurology at the Australian School of Advanced Medicine, Macquarie University. Professor Rowe is the co-author of four textbooks and over thirty research publications. Professor Rowe studied biochemistry and medicine at the University of Sydney, and then completed training in internal medicine and neurology in Sydney before completing neurology training at Queen’s Square and Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. He was the Chairman of the Research Committee from 2004 to 2014.

Associate Professor Bradley Turner heads a research team investigating the molecular basis of selective neuronal vulnerability in MND at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, the University of Melbourne. This research group employs biochemical and molecular approaches to study MND pathogenesis in patient-derived specimens and models, as well as transgenic and gene knockout animal models, with a strong focus on preclinical trials. Associate Professor Turner's research interests also extend to childhood spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and Kennedy's disease (KD), which are related to MND.

Professor of Neurology, University of Sydney and Senior Staff specialist in Neurology at Westmead Hospital. Professor Vucic's research interest is in determining the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the development of MND, in particular determining the site of disease onset. In order to address this issue he was part of a team that developed a novel neurophysiological technique for determining cortical function. In addition to furthering the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms in MND, Professor Vucic's research has potentially resulted in the development of a novel test which can aid in the diagnosis of MND.

Gethin Thomas has been the Executive Director, Research at MND Australia since 2019. He oversees the research grant program and manages national and international partnerships. A key aspect of this role if providing a conduit between research programs and the wider MND community through MND Australia and the affiliated State Associations. Gethin is also Chair of the Scientific Advisory Council of the International Alliance of ALS MND Associations which is a centralized resource to review and provide global perspective on scientific and biomedical announcements, information and research opportunities relating to ALS/MND.

Gethin has over 20 years of experience as a biomedical researcher, having published widely and secured almost $4M in research funding. He has extensive review experience across a wide range of journals as well as reviewing grants for Australian and International funding bodies. Over the last 10 years as a senior research manager, he has directed a University Research Office and served as an Associate Dean of Research. He has a deep understanding of research strategy and the research funding system from the grant preparation, application and review process through to management of funded projects at both the researcher and institutional level.