The microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT or tau) is closely linked to Alzheimer's disease, the fronto-temporal dementias, and several other neurodegenerative diseases. While it has long been recognized that tau aggregates to form neurofibrillary tangles, a hallmark pathological lesion in AD and other disorders, emerging evidence demonstrates that tau has a mechanistically complex role in neurodegeneration. Speakers at this symposium will address novel tau-centered mechanisms of neurodegeneration and new therapeutic approaches for many devastating neurological disorders.