Melbourne’s synchrotron to battle dementia
Melbourne’s $207million synchrotron is in the process of developing a drug to beat dementia and memory loss as one of its first research projects.
A drug compound that radically improves memory has been discovered by Melbourne scientists and they plan to transform it into an anti-dementia and memory loss drug. The breakthrough follows the 2001 discovery of the IRAP protein (an enzyme connected with memory that occurs naturally in the brain) by the Howard Florey and St.Vincent’s Institutes.
Dr Siew Yeen Chai of Howard Florey said “we are pretty excited about it. Ultimately we want a tablet that we can swallow and it will be active. We are not trying to cure Alzheimer’s because we have not demonstrated a direct association with what causes Alzheimer’s, but we can at least slow the memory loss and prevent the person from deteriorating further and having amnesia. That is our aim”.
Victorian Treasurer, John Brumby, said that the memory project was one of the first under way at the Australasian Synchrotron in Melbourne due to be officially opened this year. The specialised synchrotron’s system uses highly intense light beams to hit the IRAP protein and draw a 3D map of its shape which greatly assists research.
It has been developed by the Bracks’ Government as a research addition to Melbourne’s world standard medical study centres, based on the Parkville precinct including the Howard Florey, the University of Melbourne, and nearby St.Vincent’s.
