CFH Fellowship: Understanding the role of glia in frontotemporal dementia

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer's Disease and causes a devastating early-onset dementia, striking between 45-65 years of age. FTD has a strong genetic link, with up to 50% of cases showing a family history. Whilst neuronal death is the major hallmark of neurodegenerative disease, the glial cells, during the disease process, completely change their function in a process called gliosis. I will study genetic mutations that induce FTD but in the context of glia. The aim is to understand how glia change during disease and whether these changes influence neuronal cell death. This work will identify glial specific drug targets to help prevent neurodegeneration in FTD.