By David Sly

Leading crucial research into Alzheimer’s disease while simultaneously starting a family may seem a near-impossible juggling match, but Dr Kristie Stefanoska says it’s still possible – especially with the help and support of her colleagues and leaders at Flinders University.

“Women working at the forefront of medicine can find it incredibly hard to balance being a new mother with demanding research commitments, but I’ve learned that moving forward with everything hasn’t become a crisis moment in my research career,” she says.

Dr Stefanoska, an expert in neuroscience, neurobiology and protein biochemistry, is a Research Fellow in dementia and deputy-lead of the molecular dementia and memory research lab at Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute. Her work since coming to Flinders in 2021 from Sydney, supported by The Scientia Henry Brodaty Fellowship (Dementia Australia), has brought innovative approaches to understanding the causes and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

“It’s such a complex disease because of the sheer number of underlying conditions that can cause it, and because of the direct and indirect impact on people and the health system. The need for a cure is more urgent than ever,” says Dr Stefanoska.

Her attention focused on tau, a small protein found mostly in the messenger cells of the brain, called neurons. “Like most proteins, tau is vulnerable to genetic mistakes and changes in its environment. These factors can make tau no longer fit to carry out its usual job, a problem associated with many brain diseases.”

In Alzheimer’s disease, a build-up of the abnormal tau leads to “tangles” that cause cell damage and inflammation, contributing to neurodegeneration.

“These tangles are not effectively disposed of through the cells’ waste removal system and the build-up damages the cells’ super-highway. Tau can take on many different forms depending on its content. We asked what triggers the creation of these thread-like structures and discovered specific points on the tau protein – called p-tau – that change early-on and can cause a chain reaction of further changes. If we remove or silence these specific points on tau, it puts a break on tau toxicity and can even prevent or slow down dementia.”

“With this knowledge, our next challenge is to translate these findings into a treatment or biomarker platform. We are currently exploring two possibilities: one is using a gene therapy approach where we will introduce a healthier tau molecule, and the second will be vaccine development where we will remove the disease-associated tau from the body.”

As one discovery leads to the next essential area to be explored, there is significant pressure on Dr Stefanoska to maintain a demanding research schedule – in addition to the demands of a new family. In March, she gave birth to her first son, Kliment, and is currently on maternity leave – but she’s still working at home drafting her next round of grant applications, to ensure necessary funds that will continue her current research projects.

“I’m learning to juggle multiple things at once,” says Dr Stefanoska. “As a female early career researcher, support from mentors at Flinders University has enabled me to still feel connected and for my career to be supported while I’m on maternity leave. It gives me the confidence to keep moving forward with this important project. It’s my hope that my research will enable earlier and more effective diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, and hopefully provide new disease-limiting treatments that can slow progression and retain vital brain function.”