Associate Professor Adam Walker
Associate Professor

Adam Walker

Email: 

Background

Dr Adam Walker received his BSc(Hons) in Biochemistry from the University of Tasmania, and PhD in Neuroscience from the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health at the University of Melbourne, focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms of motor neuron disease (MND). He undertook a postdoctoral fellowship with Professor Virginia Lee at the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research, University of Pennsylvania (2011-2015), developing new transgenic TDP-43 mouse models of disease. Dr Walker was previously an NHMRC CJ Martin Overseas Biomedical Research Fellow and was awarded an NHMRC RD Wright Career Development Fellowship (2018-2022), to continue his research on neurodegenerative diseases. His research has been supported by fellowships and project grants from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, the Australian National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation, Dementia Australia, Motor Neuron Disease Research Institute of Australia, MonSTaR Foundation and the Cure for MND Foundation.

Availability

Associate Professor Adam Walker is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Biological Sciences Biomedical and Clinical Sciences Cell neurochemistry Neurosciences

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, University of Melbourne

Research interests

  • Motor neuron disease (MND)/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)

    Molecular mechanisms of disease and pre-clinical studies in model systems.

Search Professor Adam Walker’s works on UQ eSpace

61 works between 2007 and 2025
All (61) Journal Article (56) Conference Publication (3) Book Chapter (2)

41 - 60 of 61 works

2017

Journal Article

Erratum: Defects in optineurin- and myosin VI-mediated cellular trafficking in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Human molecular genetics (2015) 24 13 (3830-3846))

Sundaramoorthy, Vinod, Walker, Adam K., Tan, Vanessa, Fifita, Jennifer A., Mccann, Emily P., Williams, Kelly L., Blair, Ian P., Guillemin, Gilles J., Farg, Manal A. and Atkin, Julie D. (2017). Erratum: Defects in optineurin- and myosin VI-mediated cellular trafficking in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Human molecular genetics (2015) 24 13 (3830-3846)). Human Molecular Genetics, 26 (17), 3452-3452. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddx268

Erratum: Defects in optineurin- and myosin VI-mediated cellular trafficking in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Human molecular genetics (2015) 24 13 (3830-3846))

2017

Journal Article

Pathogenic mutation in the ALS/FTD gene, CCNF, causes elevated Lys48-linked ubiquitylation and defective autophagy

Lee, Albert, Rayner, Stephanie L., Gwee, Serene S. L., De Luca, Alana, Shahheydari, Hamideh, Sundaramoorthy, Vinod, Ragagnin, Audrey, Morsch, Marco, Radford, Rowan, Galper, Jasmin, Freckleton, Sarah, Shi, Bingyang, Walker, Adam K., Don, Emily K., Cole, Nicholas J., Yang, Shu, Williams, Kelly L., Yerbury, Justin J., Blair, Ian P., Atkin, Julie D., Molloy, Mark P. and Chung, Roger S. (2017). Pathogenic mutation in the ALS/FTD gene, CCNF, causes elevated Lys48-linked ubiquitylation and defective autophagy. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 75 (2), 335-354. doi: 10.1007/s00018-017-2632-8

Pathogenic mutation in the ALS/FTD gene, CCNF, causes elevated Lys48-linked ubiquitylation and defective autophagy

2017

Journal Article

Protein quality control and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia continuum

Shahheydari, Hamideh, Ragagnin, Audrey, Walker, Adam K., Toth, Reka P., Vidal, Marta, Jagaraj, Cyril J., Perri, Emma R., Konopka, Anna, Sultana, Jessica M. and Atkin, Julie D. (2017). Protein quality control and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia continuum. Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, 10 119, 1-25. doi: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00119

Protein quality control and the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia continuum

2015

Journal Article

An insoluble frontotemporal lobar degeneration-associated TDP-43 C-terminal fragment causes neurodegeneration and hippocampus pathology in transgenic mice

Walker, Adam K., Tripathy, Kalyan, Restrepo, Clark R., Ge, Guanghui, Xu, Yan, Kwong, Linda K., Trojanowski, John Q. and Lee, Virginia M. -Y. (2015). An insoluble frontotemporal lobar degeneration-associated TDP-43 C-terminal fragment causes neurodegeneration and hippocampus pathology in transgenic mice. Human Molecular Genetics, 24 (25), 7241-7254. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddv424

An insoluble frontotemporal lobar degeneration-associated TDP-43 C-terminal fragment causes neurodegeneration and hippocampus pathology in transgenic mice

2015

Journal Article

Functional recovery in new mouse models of ALS/FTLD after clearance of pathological cytoplasmic TDP-43

Walker, Adam K., Spiller, Krista J., Ge, Guanghui, Zheng, Allen, Xu, Yan, Zhou, Melissa, Tripathy, Kalyan, Kwong, Linda K., Trojanowski, John Q. and Lee, Virginia M. -Y. (2015). Functional recovery in new mouse models of ALS/FTLD after clearance of pathological cytoplasmic TDP-43. Acta Neuropathologica, 130 (5), 643-660. doi: 10.1007/s00401-015-1460-x

Functional recovery in new mouse models of ALS/FTLD after clearance of pathological cytoplasmic TDP-43

2015

Journal Article

Defects in optineurin- and myosin VI-mediated cellular trafficking in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Sundaramoorthy, Vinod, Walker, Adam K., Tan, Vanessa, Fifita, Jennifer A., Mccann, Emily P., Williams, Kelly L., Blair, Ian P., Guillemin, Gilles J., Farg, Manal A. and Atkin, Julie D. (2015). Defects in optineurin- and myosin VI-mediated cellular trafficking in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Human Molecular Genetics, 24 (13), 3830-3846. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddv126

Defects in optineurin- and myosin VI-mediated cellular trafficking in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

2014

Journal Article

Astrocytic TDP-43 pathology in Alexander disease

Walker, Adam K., Daniels, Christine M. LaPash, Goldman, James E., Trojanowski, John Q., Lee, Virginia M. -Y. and Messing, Albee (2014). Astrocytic TDP-43 pathology in Alexander disease. Journal of Neuroscience, 34 (19), 6448-6458. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0248-14.2014

Astrocytic TDP-43 pathology in Alexander disease

2014

Journal Article

Mutant SOD1 inhibits ER-Golgi transport in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Atkin, Julie D., Farg, Manal A., Soo, Kai Ying, Walker, Adam K., Halloran, Mark, Turner, Bradley J., Nagley, Phillip and Horne, Malcolm K. (2014). Mutant SOD1 inhibits ER-Golgi transport in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Journal of Neurochemistry, 129 (1), 190-204. doi: 10.1111/jnc.12493

Mutant SOD1 inhibits ER-Golgi transport in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

2014

Journal Article

Novel monoclonal antibodies to normal and pathologically altered human TDP-43 proteins

Kwong, Linda K., Irwin, David J., Walker, Adam K., Xu, Yan, Riddle, Dawn M, Trojanowski, John Q. and Lee, Virginia M. Y. (2014). Novel monoclonal antibodies to normal and pathologically altered human TDP-43 proteins. Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 2 (1) 33. doi: 10.1186/2051-5960-2-33

Novel monoclonal antibodies to normal and pathologically altered human TDP-43 proteins

2013

Journal Article

ALS-associated TDP-43 induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, which drives cytoplasmic TDP-43 accumulation and stress granule formation

Walker, Adam K., Soo, Kai Y., Sundaramoorthy, Vinod, Parakh, Sonam, Ma, Yi, Farg, Manal A., Wallace, Robyn H., Crouch, Peter J., Turner, Bradley J., Horne, Malcolm K. and Atkin, Julie D. (2013). ALS-associated TDP-43 induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, which drives cytoplasmic TDP-43 accumulation and stress granule formation. PLoS One, 8 (11) e81170, e81170.1-e81170.12. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081170

ALS-associated TDP-43 induces endoplasmic reticulum stress, which drives cytoplasmic TDP-43 accumulation and stress granule formation

2013

Journal Article

Extracellular wildtype and mutant SOD1 induces ER-Golgi pathology characteristic of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in neuronal cells

Sundaramoorthy, Vinod, Walker, Adam K., Yerbury, Justin, Soo, Kai Ying, Farg, Manal A., Hoang, Vy, Zeineddine, Rafaa, Spencer, Damian and Atkin, Julie D. (2013). Extracellular wildtype and mutant SOD1 induces ER-Golgi pathology characteristic of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in neuronal cells. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 70 (21), 4181-4195. doi: 10.1007/s00018-013-1385-2

Extracellular wildtype and mutant SOD1 induces ER-Golgi pathology characteristic of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in neuronal cells

2013

Journal Article

N-linked glycosylation modulates dimerization of protein disulfide isomerase family A member 2 (PDIA2)

Walker, Adam K., Soo, Kai Ying, Levina, Vita, Talbo, Gert H. and Atkin, Julie D. (2013). N-linked glycosylation modulates dimerization of protein disulfide isomerase family A member 2 (PDIA2). FEBS Journal, 280 (1), 233-243. doi: 10.1111/febs.12063

N-linked glycosylation modulates dimerization of protein disulfide isomerase family A member 2 (PDIA2)

2012

Journal Article

Mutant FUS induces endoplasmic reticulum stress in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and interacts with protein disulfide-isomerase

Farg, Manal A., Soo, Kai Y., Walker, Adam K., Pham, Hong, Orian, Jacqueline, Horne, Malcolm K., Warraich, Sadaf T., Williams, Kelly L., Blair, Ian P. and Atkin, Julie D. (2012). Mutant FUS induces endoplasmic reticulum stress in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and interacts with protein disulfide-isomerase. Neurobiology of Aging, 33 (12), 2855-2868. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2012.02.009

Mutant FUS induces endoplasmic reticulum stress in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and interacts with protein disulfide-isomerase

2012

Journal Article

Bim links ER stress and apoptosis in cells expressing mutant SOD1 associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Soo, Kai Y., Atkin, Julie D., Farg, Manal, Walker, Adam K., Horne, Malcolm K. and Nagley, Phillip (2012). Bim links ER stress and apoptosis in cells expressing mutant SOD1 associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. PLoS One, 7 (4) e35413, e35413. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0035413

Bim links ER stress and apoptosis in cells expressing mutant SOD1 associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

2011

Journal Article

Stress signaling from the endoplasmic reticulum: a central player in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Walker, Adam K. and Atkin, Julie D. (2011). Stress signaling from the endoplasmic reticulum: a central player in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. IUBMB Life, 63 (9), 754-763. doi: 10.1002/iub.520

Stress signaling from the endoplasmic reticulum: a central player in the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

2011

Journal Article

Mechanisms of neuroprotection by protein disulphide isomerase in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Walker, Adam K. and Atkin, Julie D. (2011). Mechanisms of neuroprotection by protein disulphide isomerase in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Neurology Research International, 2011 317340. doi: 10.1155/2011/317340

Mechanisms of neuroprotection by protein disulphide isomerase in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

2010

Journal Article

Protein disulfide isomerase and the endoplasmic reticulum in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Walker, Adam K. (2010). Protein disulfide isomerase and the endoplasmic reticulum in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Journal of Neuroscience, 30 (11), 3865-3867. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0408-10.2010

Protein disulfide isomerase and the endoplasmic reticulum in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

2010

Journal Article

Protein disulphide isomerase protects against protein aggregation and is S-nitrosylated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Walker, Adam K., Farg, Manal A., Bye, Chris R., McLean, Catriona A., Horne, Malcolm K. and Atkin, Julie D. (2010). Protein disulphide isomerase protects against protein aggregation and is S-nitrosylated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Brain, 133 (1), 105-116. doi: 10.1093/brain/awp267

Protein disulphide isomerase protects against protein aggregation and is S-nitrosylated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

2009

Book Chapter

Endoplasmic reticulum stress and protein misfolding in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Walker, A. K., Turner, B. J. and Atkin, J. D. (2009). Endoplasmic reticulum stress and protein misfolding in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Protein Misfolding Disorders: A Trip into the ER. (pp. 56-76) edited by K. Walker, A., J. Turner, B. and D. Atkin, J.. Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.. doi: 10.2174/978160805013010901010056

Endoplasmic reticulum stress and protein misfolding in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

2008

Journal Article

Redefining the role of metallothionein within the injured brain: Extracellular metallothioneins play an important role in the astrocyte-neuron response to injury

Chung, Roger S., Penkowa, Milena, Dittmann, Justin, King, Carolyn E., Bartlett, Carole, Asmussen, Johanne W., Hidalgo, Juan, Carrasco, Javier, Leung, Yee Kee J., Walker, Adam K., Fung, Samantha J., Dunlop, Sarah A., Fitzgerald, Melinda, Beazley, Lyn D., Chuah, Meng I., Vickers, James C. and West, Adrian K. (2008). Redefining the role of metallothionein within the injured brain: Extracellular metallothioneins play an important role in the astrocyte-neuron response to injury. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 283 (22), 15349-15358. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M708446200

Redefining the role of metallothionein within the injured brain: Extracellular metallothioneins play an important role in the astrocyte-neuron response to injury

Current funding

  • 2024 - 2027
    Preclinical development of complement C5a receptor 2 modulators for motor neuron disease
    Cure for MND Foundation - Drug Development Grants
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2026
    Elucidating the role of UNC13A risk variants in sporadic frontotemporal dementia
    Dementia Australia Research Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2025
    Exploring the therapeutic potential of a key chaperone against TDP-43 proteinopathy in MND
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc Innovator Grant
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2027
    Oligodendrocytes and TDP-43 pathology in MND
    Cure for MND Foundation - Discovery Research Grants
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2027
    Australian Preclinical Research ALS (APRALS) Network: a roadmap for effective translation of therapeutics for sporadic MND (MNDRA and FightMND grant administered by University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2026
    A Collaborative Multivariable Approach to Prevent Network Dysfunction in ALS (University of Tasmania administered MNDRA grant)
    University of Tasmania
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Exploiting the neuroprotective effects of the gut microbiome for the treatment of spinocerebellar ataxia-3 and related neurodegenerative diseases (NHMRC Ideas Grant administered by Macquarie Uni).
    Macquarie University
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2026
    Understanding the dynamics of TDP-43 aggregation in FTE using advanced imaging tools
    Dementia Australia Research Foundation
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2025
    From the nucleus to the powerhouse: investigating how TDP-43-mitochondrial interactions wreak havoc in MND
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2024 - 2025
    Upstream Protein Clearance Pathway Activators for MND Treatment
    Cure for MND Foundation - Drug Development Grants
    Open grant
  • 2024 - 2025
    Synaptic mechanisms of non-motor dysfunction in MND
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc Innovator Grant
    Open grant
  • 2023 - 2024
    Identifying proteins controlling post-translational modification of TDP-43
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc Innovator Grant
    Open grant
  • 2023
    High-resolution imaging of protein clumps in frontotemporal dementia and motor neuron disease
    Brain Foundation Research Grant
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Clearing TDP-43 pathology for MND therapy
    Cure for MND Foundation - Bill Guest Mid-Career Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    New viral-mediated TDP-43 mouse models of MND
    Cure for MND Foundation - Impact Grants
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2024
    The Glymphatic System: Novel Biomarker of Disease Severity and Therapeutic Target (FightMND Impact Grant administered by Monash University)
    Monash University
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    NIBR Global Scholars Program Scholars Agreement
    UniQuest Pty Ltd
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2022
    Defining the involvement of ubiquilin-2 in MND
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2021
    Is the brain's waste clearance system impaired in Motor Neurone Disease (Bethlehem Griffiths Research Foundation Grant led by Monash University)
    Monash University
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2024
    Preclinical development of centrally active complement C3a receptor modulators as disease-modifying drugs for motor neuron disease
    Cure for MND Foundation - Drug Development Grants
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Development of a TDP43-targeting gene therapy (FightMND Drug Development Grant administered by Macquarie University)
    Macquarie University
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2021
    New mouse models of TDP-43 pathology
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2020
    Using viruses to target TDP-43 pathology for pre-clinical studies of neurodegenerative disease
    UQ Early Career Researcher
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2020
    Genome-wide CRISPR screens to reveal regulators of TDP-43 aggregation and toxicity in motor neuron disease and frontotemporal dementia
    Brain Foundation Research Gift
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2022
    Rapid flow cytometry screen for identifying novel ALS drug leads (CDMRP Grant administered by University of Wollongong)
    University of Wollongong
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2021
    Targeting the nucleo-cytoplasmic transport machinery in sporadic and familial ALS (MNDRIA Grant led by Macquarie University)
    Motor Neurone Disease Research Institute of Australia Inc
    Open grant
  • 2019
    Advanced Brightfield and Fluorescent High Speed and Throughput Slide Scanner for biological, medical, materials science, and agricultural applications
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2019 - 2020
    Pre-Clinical evaluation of novel therapies for clearance of TDP-43 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (NFMRI grant administered by Macquarie University)
    Macquarie University
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2022
    Neurodegenerative disease pathology, mechanisms, models and treatments
    NHMRC Career Development Fellowship
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2020
    Understanding the early disease mechanisms of motor neuron disease and frontotemporal dementia
    NHMRC Project Grant
    Open grant
  • 2018 - 2021
    Calpeptin, and related candidates, for the treatment of Machado Joseph Disease (NHMRC Project Grant led by Macquarie University)
    Macquarie University
    Open grant

Availability

Associate Professor Adam Walker is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Associate Professor Adam Walker directly for media enquiries about:

  • Frontotemporal dementia
  • Motor Neuron Disease
  • Neurodegenerative disease mechanisms
  • Pre-clinical disease research
  • TDP-43

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