Frederik Steyn

Dr. Steyn began his career as a Biomedical Researcher, conducting detailed investigations into the hypothalamic regulation of energy homeostasis, growth, and reproduction. He was instrumental in the creation of robust methodologies that are now considered the industry standard for the evaluation of patterned hormone release in murine models. In 2015, Dr. Steyn broadened his research scope to focus on studies on neurodegenerative diseases. He created methods for a more precise assessment of energy expenditure in Motor Neurone Disease (MND) patients and set up a research platform at the University of Queensland for the better analysis of hypermetabolism's role in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. This platform has since evolved to support studies aimed at improving our understanding of the heterogeneity of disease, and specifically MND.

Dr. Steyn currently manages a dual pre-clinical and clinical research program aimed at enhancing our knowledge of the diversity of neurodegenerative diseases. As part of this research, Dr. Steyn's team is working to further our understanding of the physiological response to disease, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases marked by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons. In this program, he leads studies on the impact of metabolism on neurodegenerative disease progression (MEND-MND), the consequences of appetite loss and impaired body weight regulation (EATT4MND) on disease progression, and the impact of the burden of disease on patient outcomes and disease progression. In conjunction with these studies, he collaborates with industry to develop new treatment approaches for MND and is working on refining digital health technologies for improved monitoring of disease progression and the effectiveness of therapy on disease outcomes.