About
Professor Lars Ittner is Director of the Dementia Research Centre and a Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Macquarie University. He holds a PhD from the University of Zurich (2002) and has held academic positions at the University of Sydney (Associate Professor, 2011–2013) and UNSW Sydney (Professor, 2013–2018). His research focuses on neurodegenerative disease mechanisms, particularly Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia, with a focus on translating findings into therapies like gene therapies and peptide modulators.
Key achievements include identifying tau protein’s role in Alzheimer’s pathogenesis and developing novel drug targets. He leads projects funded by FightMND and NHMRC, including gene therapy development for motor neuron disease. Awards include the Merck Research Medal and NHMRC Fellowships.
Current projects target small-molecule inhibitors, peptidomimetic therapies, and gene therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. His lab uses transgenic mouse models and advanced tools like CRISPR-Cas9 for preclinical research. Collaborations span neurology, pharmacology, and biotechnology.
