Novel cellular functions of the microtubule-associated protein tau: Physiological and pathological implications

阿尔茨海默病(AD)造成的社会和经济负担是巨大的，到2040年，将有超过50万澳大利亚人患有这种疾病。这一疾病和许多其他相关疾病的一个关键组织病理学特征是tau蛋白的不溶性沉积。研究tau在信号和运输中的新功能(这两个功能在患病的大脑中都严重受损)将直接用于tau导向的药物筛选的分析开发。这项研究的国家利益是多方面的，包括：(A)为新数据申请专利，(B)开发一种无法治愈的疾病的治疗策略，以及(C)与不断增长的澳大利亚生物技术产业建立联系(除了与国际制药公司的现有联系之外)。

The social and economic burden of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is enormous, and by 2040 more than 500,000 Australians will suffer from this disease. A key histopathological hallmark of this and many other related diseases are insoluble deposits of the protein tau. Research into novel functions of tau in signalling and transport (both of which are heavily compromised in diseased brains) will be followed directly by assay development for tau-directed drug screening. The national benefit of this research is manifold by (a) patenting new data, (b) developing treatment strategies for an un-curable disease, and (c) establishing links to the growing Australian biotech industry (in addition to existing links to international pharmaceutical companies).