Our people

Julie is interested in the basic cellular and molecular singalling mechanisms involved in neurons as well as other cells.  She is particularly interested in processes that trigger neurodegeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/motor neuron disease (MND), and related condition frontotemporal dementia (FTD).  This includes the role of cellular trafficking and the DNA damage response, as well as the protein disulphide isomerase family of chaperones.

Associate Professor Kelly Williams is the Co-Director of Research for Macquarie Medical School at Macquarie University. A/Prof Williams is Head of Genomics & Bioinformatics within the multidisciplinary Centre for Motor Neuron Disease (MND) Research at Macquarie University. Since completion of her PhD in 2013, she have received three fellowships for genetics and genomics research into MND (3-year MNDRA Bill Gole Postdoctoral Fellowship, 4-year NHMRC Early Career Research Fellowship and current 4-year FightMND Bill Guest Mid-Career Research Fellowship). As one of Australia’s leading early career researchers in MND, she was recruited as a founding member of the Macquarie University Centre for MND Research The majority of her academic career has focused on determining the genetic basis of motor neuron disease. She has played a central role in critical breakthroughs in MND through the identification of causal mutations in several genes. These seminal discoveries have opened new chapters

I am the Professor of Neurobiology and Neurochemistry, and Deputy Dean (Research & Innovation) in the Faculty of Medicine, Health & Human Sciences. I lead the Neurochemistry & Molecular Therapeutics Group within the Macquarie University Centre for Motor Neuron Disease Research. My main areas of research interest involve a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding the biochemical, molecular and cellular mechanisms that underpin how neurons respond to injury or neurodegenerative disease, and how non-neuronal cells (glia) are involved in modulating this process.   More recently, we have taken our understanding of disease mechanisms to develop molecular therapies for Motor Neuron Disease (MND, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS). We have developed gene therapies for MND/ALS, which have been licensed to Celosia Therapeutics. I am the co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of CelosiaTX. I completed my PhD in molecular biology in 2003, and have since led a res

Dr. Laird studies the pathogenesis of movement disorders with a particular focus on identifying and testing potential disease treatments. Her group has been successful at producing and characterising the world’s first zebrafish model of spinocerebellar ataxia type-3 (also known as Machado Joseph Disease, MJD). They are currently testing the effect of various drugs on these zebrafish with the aim of identifying a treatment for the disease. Dr. Laird's full CV, with all grants and activities, can be accessed here.

A/Prof Marco Morsch is the Co-Director of Research in the Macquarie Medical School at Macquarie University. A/Prof Morsch is a mid-career neuroscientist and group leader in the Macquarie Medical School of the Faculty of Medicine and Health, and Human Sciences at Macquarie University. Dr Morsch received his PhD from the University of Bonn, Germany, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Sydney. In 2014 Marco moved to Macquarie University to work at the ‘Centre for MND Research’. A/Prof Morsch has established the first Australian zebrafish platform to characterise the process of neurodegeneration and monitor the interactions of phagocytosing microglia in real-time in the CNS of a living vertebrate (zebrafish). His unique research program allowed him to make important advances in the study of neurological diseases and, more recently, in the underlying principles of neuron-glia interactions in the healthy and stressed nervous system. In 2018 he was awarded the ‘Outstand

My career to date is focused on medical research and education in the tertiary sector, developing and managing ongoing relationships with different stakeholders between academia, industry and the community to foster opportunities for exchange. I obtained my B.Sc (Molecular Biotechnology)(2004, Usyd) and M.Biotech(Hons I)/Business(2006, MQU) under the supervision of Dr. Amit Kapur and Dr. Mark Molloy. During this period, I worked in the private sector at Australian Laboratory Services (ALS) and Laverty Pathology (formerly Mayne Health) which brought various experiences to hone my career. I was awarded an Australian Postgraduate Award Industry (APAI) linking up with GE Healthcare, and earned my Ph.D (2011, MQU) under the supervision of Prof. Nicki Packer and Prof. Mark Baker characterising the proteome effects of colorectal cancer and cachexia and the inflammatory effects on the liver membrane glycoproteome.  I moved abroad to the US and worked briefly as a Proteomics scientific officer

Professor Rowe is the Foundation Professor of Neurology in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Macquarie University; Chairman of Macquarie Neurology, and Consultant Neurologist at Macquarie University Hospital. For ten years he was Chairman of the MND Research Institute of Australia, taking this funding body from minor influence to the major source of funding for MND research in Australia. He is the Principal Investigator on the Parkinson’s Progression Marker Initiative, re-sponsible for the only Australian site in this ground breaking collabo-rative research in PD. Together with Professor Kiernan and others, he founded the Australian Motor Neurone Disease Registry. For the last nine years he has been instrumental in the set up and im-plementation of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Macquarie University. Professor Rowe was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday Honour List for services to Medicine and Neurology, particularly Mot