Exploring whether TBK1 plays a role in the excessive inflammation seen in MND.
Principal Investigator: Dr Owen Peters
Lead Institution: Cardiff University
MND Association Funding: £302,111
Funding dates: April 2025 - March 2028
About the project
It is thought that excessive inflammation may play a role in the development and progression of MND. Inflammation is a normal process that the body uses to protect itself from infections, injury and damage, but too much inflammation can be damaging to the brain. To prevent excessive inflammation, our cells have evolved mechanisms to tightly control when and for how long this process can occur. It has been suggested that these mechanisms that regulate inflammation may become faulty in MND. This project will investigate how a gene called TANK Binding Kinase 1 (TBK1) is involved in regulating inflammation and how it might be linked to the excessive inflammation seen in MND. It will use cell and mouse models to observe how TBK1 is linked to MND and determine whether existing inflammation modifying medicines could be repurposed as treatments for MND.
What could this mean for MND research?
The project could help to improve current understanding of the role of TBK1 in MND and uncover potential new treatment strategies for the disease.
Project code: 2386-791
