Tom Kavanagh

Dr Tom Kavanagh is a Researcher at the University of Sydney's School of Medical Sciences within the Faculty of Medicine and Health. He holds dual affiliations with The Centre for Drug Discovery Innovation and the Brain and Mind Centre, focusing on neurodegenerative disease mechanisms through proteomic and molecular approaches.

His research centers on Neurodegenerative Diseases, Alzheimer's Disease, Dementia, and Tauopathies, utilizing Proteomics, Molecular Biology, and Bioinformatics to investigate cellular/molecular pathogenesis. Key interests include brain protein changes, tau interactome dynamics, and biomarker discovery in conditions like progressive supranuclear palsy.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a cohesive focus on proteomic signatures across Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and Down syndrome. His work consistently examines protein-level alterations in neurodegeneration, with emphasis on tau pathology, amyloid plaques, and RNA-binding proteins as drivers of disease progression.

Dr Kavanagh currently supervises PhD candidate Laura NEMENTZIK on progressive supranuclear palsy research. He has secured significant funding including a 2025 Rainwater Charitable Foundation grant for tau interaction studies in primary tauopathies, the 2024 MEJ Fund for dementia research, and a 2023 Brain and Mind Centre grant for therapeutic tau interactor screening.

He actively contributes to interdisciplinary research through The Centre for Drug Discovery Innovation and the Brain and Mind Centre, integrating proteomic expertise with clinical neuroscience to advance understanding of neurodegenerative disease mechanisms.