The TDP-43 Research Cluster is a cross-disciplinary alliance of more than 30 researchers across 3 faculties at The University of Sydney (Medicine & Health, Science, and Engineering).
We’re working to design improved strategies for targeting TDP-43 pathology and related disease-modifying biological pathways for people living with neurodegenerative diseases.
This research stands to demystify the cause of neurodegeneration and develop therapeutic treatments to stop nerve cell degradation.
TDP-43-associated neurodegenerative diseases include most notably motor neuron disease (MND)/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia, which are progressive, irreversible and fatal, and currently lack effective therapeutics. In the nerves of the brain and/or spinal cord of people living with these diseases a particular protein (TDP-43) becomes dysfunctional and accumulates into large deposits that are associated with neuron loss. People with other neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease may also develop this pathology. Neurological conditions are estimated to be the leading cause of illness and disability worldwide, affecting approximately 3 billion people.
We seek to comprehensively and collaboratively build knowledge on the function of TDP-43, and to understand how this changes in neurodegenerative disease, and to use this knowledge to design new, effective treatments.
Sydney TDP-43 Symposium 2026
In July 2026, the cluster convened the first-ever Australian symposium dedicated to TDP-43.Over 100 researchers from across Australia attended to share relevant findings, questions, and methodologies. The program highlighted activities by early career researchers, including the use of advanced platforms and methods to visualise TDP-43 dysfunction.
An expert panel discussed approaches to targeting and treating related diseases, including small molecules, biologics, and gene therapies. A post-event survey was overwhelmingly positive – leading the way to this event becoming an important annual gathering to stimulate cross-disciplinary and multi-institutional engagement towards better TDP-43-targeted therapeutics.
