Affiliation: National Tsing Hua University

Dr. Ming-Der Perng is a professor at the School of Life Sciences and Medicine at National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), Taiwan. He earned his PhD from the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Dundee, UK, and completed his postdoctoral training at the University of Durham, UK. In 2008, He joined the faculty of the Institute of Molecular Medicine at National Tsing Hua University as an assistant professor, leading to his current position at NTHU. His research focuses on how mutations in glial acidic fibrillary protein (GFAP) impair astrocyte function and how astrocyte dysfunction causes Alexander disease (AxD). This rare and often fatal leukodystrophy affects young children. Using this rare disease as a model, he investigates the role of GFAP-containing glial filaments in astrocyte biology and their broader impact on brain function and disease. The long-term aim of his research is to identify novel strategies to restore astrocyte function when it becomes impaired.