With no known cure and over 2,100 Australians living with motor neurone disease (MND), there is a growing urgency to understand, diagnose, and treat this debilitating neurological disease.

MND is a group of conditions causing the nerves in the spine and brain to lose function over time. Although symptoms can be managed for some time to improve quality of life, ultimately MND is irreversible, leading to a loss of muscle function. Currently, there is limited understanding of mechanisms accounting for the progression of MND.

Thomas Shaw, PhD Candidate at the University of Queensland, has been awarded a prestigious 3-year Bill Gole MND Postdoctoral Fellowship to relate pathology in the brain and spinal cord to MND sub-types over time.

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MND Research Australia (MNDRA) promotes, supports and funds the best MND research with the greatest chance of realising the vision of a world without MND.

Using the NCRIS-enabled infrastructure at the QLD National Imaging Facility (NIF) Node, Thomas plans to use 3T and ultra-high-field 7T MRI of brain and spine to unravel imaging aspects of MND. He will compare a comprehensive set of imaging tissue properties to clinical outcomes of disease to distinguish two MND sub-types and advance understanding of the disease.


If you have any concerns about MND please check this site and contact your GP.