Our genes play an important role in whether we develop neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Our research aims are to identify causative and susceptibility neurodegenerative genes and furthermore, to understand the mechanisms by which genetic alterations in these genes can lead to disease.
Dr Kwok completed a PhD on human genetics at the University of Cambridge, England in 1994. After returning to Australia, he was awarded the Australian Postdoctoral fellowship in Dementia Research in 1995. During this time, he consolidated preliminary mutations screens to better understand the relationship between specific mutations in dementia genes and observed clinical presentation and neuropathology of the disease. In 2002, he was awarded an R Douglas Wright Biomedical Career Development Award (NHMRC) to work on the biochemistry and genetics of hereditary dementias.
Positional Cloning of a Chromosome 9 Dementia/Motor Neurone disease GeneWe have identified a large pedigree with clinical symptoms of presenile dementia with motor neuron disease. |
Positional Cloning of a Splicing Factor on Chromosome 15 that modulates splicing of key dementia GenesAlzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease are the two common causes of dementia and neurodegeneration. |
Role of the Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3B) and Microtubule Associated Protein Tau (MAPT) Genes in NeurodegenerationBoth GSK3B and MAPT genes control crucial processes in the cell. We have shown that genetic polymorphisms in these two genes interact to increase risk for late-onset, idiopathic neurodegeneration. |
