In late April, AFTD Research team members attended a premier conference focused exclusively on research into tau, a protein which is aggregated in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Corticobasal Syndrome (CBS), MAPT Frontotemporal Degeneration, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders. This conference was co-hosted by the Alzheimer’s Association, CurePSP, and the Rainwater Charitable Foundation. It brought together over 1,200 people, nearly half attending in-person, gathering researchers, medical professionals, nonprofit groups, people with lived experience, and industry partners.

Adam Boxer, MD, PhD, gave updates on two newly selected drug candidates for a platform PSP trial. A multitude of researchers presented talks and posters on the progress in biomarkers for tau, drug development targeting tau, new genetics progress including a CurePSP Genetics Program, and studies investigating underlying similarities between disorders with tau aggregation.

The Rainwater Charitable Foundation awarded two prizes to influential scientists: the 2025 Rainwater Prize to Kaj Blennow, MD, PhD, and the 2025 Rainwater Prize for Innovative Early-Career Scientist to Bess Frost, PhD.

A powerful lived experience panel including Linde Jacobs, RN, co-Founder of Cure MAPT FTD, brought home the urgency and advocacy efforts which are currently ongoing to fuel more research progress.

AFTD took away updates on progress for the newest strategies targeting tau and made new and deepened connections with researchers. AFTD also attended a reception hosted by Cure MAPT FTD, to meet local families affected by FTD and discuss a path forward in research.

Read summaries of the conference: