Ageing research receives funding
Health and medical research into dementia, macular degeneration and other age-related conditions will benefit from $50 million in new federal government funding. Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, last Friday announced funding for 92 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants.
Health and medical research into dementia, macular degeneration and other age-related conditions will benefit from $50 million in new federal government funding.
Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, last Friday announced funding for 92 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants.
“The potential of the projects to help us gain a better understanding of the management of osteoarthritis, and give us more information on the relationship between iron deposits in the brain and Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, for example, is very exciting,” he said.
The federal government was committed to improving the health and quality of life of our older Australians, according to Mr Butler.
“One of the key ways we can achieve these goals is by funding quality research that will expand our knowledge of the diseases that affect our elderly population,” he added.
The NHMRC grant allocations include:
- 46 ageing grants totalling $28,152,874
- 29 dementia grants totalling $13,247,849
- 17 Parkinson’s disease grants totalling $8,630,990
Grant highlights include:
- Dr Ashley Bush of the University of Melbourne will receive $807,822 to look at the relationship between the regulation of iron levels in the brain and the development of dementia.
- Dr Arthur Thevathasan, University of Melbourne, will receive $215,738 to develop a new treatment for gait ‘freezing’ and poor balance associated with Parkinson’s disease. The treatment involves implanting a pacemaker into a very deep brain region.
- Professor Perminder Sachdev of the University of New South Wales will receive $912,023 for the Older Australian Twins Study (OATS) of healthy brain ageing and age-related neurocognitive disorders.
- Doctor Joseph Nicolazzo, Monash University, will receive $281,456 for a study which looks at a novel approach for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
- Professor Andreas Evdokiou of the University of Adelaide will receive $455,695 to look at a new therapeutic approach targeting pathological bone loss associated with osteoporosis.
More information can be found at www.nhmrc.gov.au/grants/outcomes-funding-rounds
