Dementia is the leading cause of death in Australia and currently affects over 425,000 people and their families, estimates the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. While progress has been made on the diagnosis and care of people with dementia, there is no cure and current treatments are limited in addressing the progression of the disease.
But there is hope. Join the University of Melbourne, The Florey, and National Ageing Research Institute to learn about the latest research into how we diagnose, treat and care for those with dementia.
Note: Dementia is not a single disease but a term to describe symptoms pertaining to various diseases that lead to memory loss and other cognitive abilities, including Alzheimer’s Disease.
Associate Professor Anita Goh
Dr Goh is a clinician-researcher with expertise in translational research particularly in cognitive health, quality of life in ageing, and dementia. Dr Goh's award-winning research focuses on knowledge translation and engagement, bridging the gap between acquisition of knowledge and implementation into practice and policy. Anita is a clinical neuropsychologist and a principal researcher at the National Ageing Research Institute, where she is Executive Director of Research (Social Gerontology). Anita is a Board Director and Fellow of the Australian Association of Gerontology; Councillor at the Royal Society of Victoria; and member of Dementia Australia Research Foundation Scientific Panel.
Associate Professor Nawaf Yassi
Associate Professor Nawaf Yassi is a consultant neurologist and Deputy Director of Neurology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH). He is the clinical co-lead of the RMH’s Dementia Centre of Excellence and head of the Dementia Research Group at the Melbourne Brain Centre. His clinical and academic interests are in dementia and stroke, with a particular emphasis on intracerebral haemorrhage, improving dementia diagnosis through fluid-based biomarkers, and developing novel therapeutics through clinical trials.
Associate Professor Rebecca Nisbet
Associate Professor Rebecca Nisbet is a biochemist and Group Head of the Antibody Therapeutics Group at The Florey. The lab aims to generate next-generation antibody therapeutics for treating Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. Her team are researching pDNA and mRNA strategies in combination with nanotechnology to enhance the delivery of intraneuronal antigens to the brain.
