Dr Lyndal Henden (PhD 2017) is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Advanced Gene Discovery Team within the Macquarie University Motor Neuron Disease Research Centre. Her research focuses on uncovering the genetic causes of Motor Neuron Disease (MND) and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Using her expertise in cryptic relatedness analysis, she works with large international MND/FTD cohorts to identify candidate disease loci to screen for new gene mutations. Dr Henden has a particular interest in identifying hard-to-detect genetic changes, including short tandem repeat expansions (STRs) and, more recently, somatic mutations that are present in brain tissue but absent from blood. By uncovering these hidden genetic contributors to disease, her research aims to improve gene screening approaches and deepen understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying MND and FTD. These findings have the potential to inform the development of new therapeutic targets and carry important implications for genetic counselling for individuals living with MND/FTD and their families.