About us

TRACK-FA provides a world-first intensive effort to combine global expertise in Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) to track the neurobiological changes underlying disease progression and address the urgent need for clinical trial-ready biomarkers.

It brings together the expertise and resources of six international research teams, and industry partners who will provide input on study design, endpoints, and monitoring.

How will it help the FA community?

TRACK-FA aims to accelerate the discovery and approval of new treatments for FA by:

Improving our understanding of brain and spinal cord changes in FA
Delivering a set of clinical trial-ready biomarkers
Developing a community database for ongoing research and discovery

Global study sites

University of Campinas
Principal Investigators
- A/Prof Marcondes França
- Dr Thiago Rezende
Monash University and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
Overall coordinating site for TRACK-FA

Principal investigators
- Prof Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis
- A/Prof Louise Corben
- Prof Martin Delatycki
- Dr Ian Harding
RWTH Aachen University
Principal Investigators
- Prof Kathrin Reetz
- Prof Jörg B. Schulz
- Dr Imis Dogan
- Dr Sandro Romanzetti
University of Florida
Principal Investigators
- Prof Sub Subramony
- Prof Thomas Mareci
- A/Prof Manuela Corti
University of Minnesota
Oversee design and execution of the neuroimaging component of TRACK‐FA
Principal Investigators
- A/Prof Pierre‐Gilles Henry
- A/Prof Christophe Lenglet
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Principal Investigators
- Prof Timothy Roberts
- Prof William Gaetz
- Prof David Lynch
McGill University
Principal Investigators
- Prof Massimo Pandolfo
- Dr Alain Dagher
- A/Prof David Rudko

“TRACK-FA is a great example of public-private partnership and research advancement in the pre-competitive space. As we all need better tools to understand and measure what is happening in the FA brain and spinal cord, FARA is proud to support this international consortium. The goal of TRACK-FA is to deliver such tools for future clinical trials.” - Jennifer Farmer (CEO FARA)

Our study sponsor - FARA

The Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) is a national, public, 501(c)(3), non-profit, tax-exempt organisation dedicated to the pursuit of scientific research leading to treatments and a cure for FA.

FARA’s mission is to marshal and focus the resources and relationships needed to cure FA by raising funds for research, promoting public awareness, and aligning scientists, patients, clinicians, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies and other organisations dedicated to curing FA and related diseases.

Our contract research organisation - IXICO

IXICO is a premier neuroimaging provider, working with pharma and biotech partners to improve the outcomes of clinical trials.

Our industry partners

Takeda Pharmaceuticals is a patient-focused, values-based, R&D-driven global biopharmaceutical company committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to people worldwide.

Novartis Gene Therapies is reimagining medicine to transform the lives of people living with rare genetic diseases.

PTC Therapeutics is bringing moments to patients with rare and serious diseases through innovative small molecule and gene therapies

Track-FA Study