Penn FTD Center

The Penn FTD Center is home to an energetic team dedicated to the investigation and treatment of FTD

The Penn Frontotemporal Degeneration Center brings together an energetic team of creative clinicians and researchers dedicated to the investigation and treatment of early onset neurodegenerative conditions. Our Center members include neurologists, neuropathologists, neuroscientists, geneticists, genetic counselors, neuropsychologists, nurses, social workers, and clinical research coordinators, all targeting a cure for Frontotemporal degeneration . Intellectual diversity, creativity and strong collaborative partnerships uniquely position the Penn Frontotemporal Degeneration Center to deliver the highest quality of care to our patients, conduct translational research to improve diagnostic and prognostic accuracy, improve understanding of the biological basis of Frontotemporal degeneration spectrum disorders, and train the next generation of physicians and researchers as we move toward a cure.

11/13/2025

Happy Genetic Counselor Appreciation Day!🧬 Join us as we celebrate Penn FTD Center Genetic Counselor, Laynie Dratch! From guiding patients through genetic testing to helping patients adapt to living with or at risk for a genetic condition, these professionals are key members of healthcare teams, empowering patients to make informed decisions.

Discover more about the role of Genetic Counselors and if genetic counseling may be right for you by looking at our website!

11/12/2025

Penn FTD Center Staff Highlight 🌟

Cara Joyce, MPH is a Regulatory Project Manager at the Penn FTD Center for over 2 years.

📍Read more details on Cara in the blog post found on our website!

11/11/2025

The Penn FTD Center is thrilled to announce that we will be hosting our sixth annual virtual familial conference, Uncovering the Genetics of Familial FTD/ALS, on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, from 1:00PM-4:00PM EST.

Attendees will have the chance to hear from genetic counselors, neurologists, and social workers on the genetics of FTD and ALS—and have the chance to ask questions in real-time.

Stay tuned for the registration link, meeting agenda and additional details!

11/10/2025

Attending the Gerontological Society of America Annual Scientific Meeting this week? Penn FTD Center Co-Director Lauren Massimo is collaborating with other experts to discuss how to adapt interventions to meet the needs of FTD caregivers during a symposium.

🗓️ Nov 12th
⏲️ 8:00-9:30AM
📍Hynes - Room 104

Be sure to check out this symposium titled ‘Adapting Interventions for Early-Onset Dementia: Supporting Frontotemporal Degeneration Caregivers’ if you are in attendance!

11/07/2025

Thank you to all the attendees of the 2025 Penn FTD Center Caregiver Conference! We are grateful for the opportunity to provide information and resources to our community.

Stay tuned for more information about the 2026 Penn FTD Center Familial Conference in the coming weeks!

11/03/2025

We understand that care management can be tough. At the Penn FTD Center, we are committed to provide practical, useful tips for care management.

The first Monday of every month, we will be sharing tips on care management for those living with FTD. This November, we are sharing tips for managing habits related to hiding, hoarding, and losing things.

📍Check out our website for more information on Support & Resources

10/31/2025

FTD Fact Friday: Treatment of PPA has two goals: maintaining language skills and using new tools and other ways to communicate. The Penn FTD Center is here to help!

📍 Check out our Support & Resources tab for helpful tools and links.
📰 Read our monthly blog in the Latest News tab.
🔎 Interested in Observational Research or Clinical Trials? Click the links to learn more about the participation in studies.

Find more information on the Penn FTD Center website!

10/29/2025

Penn FTD Center Staff Highlight 🌟

Dahlia Kamel, MS is the Penn FTD Center Clinical Research Program and Operations Lead and Assistant Director who has worked at Penn for over 6 years.

📍Read more details on Dahlia in the blog post found on our website!

10/24/2025

FTD Fact Friday: In most cases, the cause of FTD is unknown. Individuals with a family history of FTD are more likely to develop FTD. The Penn FTD Center is here to help!

📍 Check out our Support & Resources tab for helpful tools and links.
📰 Read our monthly blog in the Latest News tab.
🔎 Interested in Observational Research or Clinical Trials? Click the links to learn more about the participation in studies.

Find more information on the Penn FTD Center website!

10/23/2025

💡In Penn FTD Center’s October Research Roundup, Postdoctoral Fellow Barbara Spencer, PhD, examines how C9orf72 expansions impact the risk for developing subsequent symptoms in ALS and FTD.

Read now by visiting our website!

10/20/2025

Penn FTD Center Genetic Counselor Laynie Dratch, ScM, CGC attended the Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS) Symposium in Florida earlier this month. Laynie, alongside Jennifer Roggenbuck from The Ohio State University, presented a poster on supporting people with ALS in seeking genetic counseling. Several members of the Penn Neurogenetics Therapy Center (PNTC) team also joined the conference.

Thank you for your continued dedication to providing information regarding genetic counseling, Laynie!

10/17/2025

FTD Fact Friday: There are three types of Primary Progressive Aphasia, including Semantic PPA, Agrammatic PPA, Logopenic PPA. The Penn FTD Center is here to help!

📍 Check out our Support & Resources tab for helpful tools and links.
📰 Read our monthly blog in the Latest News tab.
🔎 Interested in Observational Research or Clinical Trials? Click the links to learn more about the participation in studies.

Find more information on the Penn FTD Center website!

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Philadelphia, PA
19104

Telephone

+12153495863

Website

http://pennftdcenter.org/

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