Blog: The Brain Dialogues, filtered by tag: CHeBA staff

For Dr Meredith Gresham, dementia presents as a pandemic itself. Future incidence projections indicate skyrocketing levels of dementia over the next fifty years. However, there is a growing evidence base for activities and interventions which may delay the onset of dementia and improve quality of life and function after diagnosis. Dr Gresham is currently co-ordinating CHeBA’s COGNISANCE Project which aims to develop practical toolkits for people with dementia, care partners and health and social care professionals. These toolkits will facilitate better coping with the diagnosis and support… Read More

Apathy, defined as loss of motivation leading to dysfunction or disability, is experienced by many community-dwelling older people, and is one of the most common symptoms of neurological and psychiatric disorders. It has often been mislabelled as depression, resulting in ineffective treatment, and has a significant impact on an individual’s ability to lead a fulfilling life. Through research undertaken in her PhD, Fleur Harrison, hopes to shine the light on apathy as an under-researched construct which interplays with ageing and the immune system.   How did you first get into researching… Read More

A PhD Candidate in the Brain Ageing Research Laboratory at CHeBA, Marina Ulanova is researching the development of iron nanoparticles aimed at discovering improved methods to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. Marina hopes this research will eventually lead to earlier intervention and more effective treatment of the disease.   How did you first get into research? After completing my undergraduate degree, I wasn’t entirely sure about what I wanted to do next. A friend informed me of a research internship opportunity at the Garvan Institute and, given I had always been interested in neuroscience… Read More

Dr Karen Mather’s multi-disciplinary research approach to understanding human ageing is dependent upon collaborating not only with CHeBA staff, but also national and international researchers and using publicly available data to provide a more comprehensive examination of the biological processes that underlie the rate at which we age. Dr Mather is enthusiastic about working with CHeBA’s unique studies - in particular the Sydney Centenarian Study - which is the only ongoing exceptional longevity study in Australia.    How did you get into researching the ageing brain? Unlike most people I… Read More

Dr Inga Mehrani is currently a project manager for one of the three main initiatives within the Australian Dementia Network - the Memory Clinics initiative (ADNeT-MC). The project aims to harmonise diagnostic assessment standards and post-diagnostic pathways to provide a best practice framework for healthcare practitioners and reassure patients and carers that they receive a high-quality dementia diagnosis across Australian Memory Clinics.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I am a Speech Pathologist by training and completed my training in Germany. The system there… Read More

Dr Sumangali Gobhidharan originally studied Zoology before moving into Neuroscience and the field of healthy ageing research. What ultimately motivated her to join the field was hearing stories of her Grandfather’s struggle with Alzheimer’s disease and the hope to contribute to healthy brain ageing research.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I am from Sri Lanka and my first degree was in Zoology. Zoology is a field I am passionate about and one which was nurtured by the fact that my father is a keen biologist. However, I was always curious to learn more about the… Read More

Honours Student at CHeBA, Zara Page, keeps mentally fit through her study of differing languages. So far, she has mastered French along with some Italian and Spanish and hopes to move onto learning Mandarin. In keeping with her passion for languages, Zara is currently conducting research exploring the cultural fairness of cognitive assessments for culturally and linguistically diverse Australians.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? When I enrolled in my degree, I knew that it was going to be a four-year program with the integrated honours. Ultimately, this was why I chose… Read More

CHeBA’s Social Health And Reserve in the Dementia Patient Journey project (SHARED) is an international collaborative effort to identify the impact of social wellbeing on cognitive health. There is evidence to support that our social lives have a great impact on our capabilities across the lifespan. Research Assistant with SHARED, Ashley Stevens, hopes that through the study’s outcomes this notion receives the recognition it deserves.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I found my way into research following the completion of my Honours degree in Psychology at Charles Sturt… Read More

Maria Villalva, Research Assistant with CHeBA’s Brain Ageing Research Laboratory, is currently involved in developing novel theranostics for Alzheimer’s disease to facilitate earlier disease diagnosis and treatment. Through analysing nanomaterial - particularly quantum dots - the research has opened a new area in nanoneuro research and understanding brain ageing.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? When I began my bachelors in Science at Macquarie University, I was still unsure how I wanted my career to play out. One of my mentors encouraged me to consider research as a… Read More

Jessica Turner’s grandmother inspired her pursuit of research which initially explored fall prevention for older adults. She is now working with CHeBA’s CogSCAN project which aims to determine the efficacy of using computerised testing to assess cognitive health.   How did you get into researching the ageing brain? I studied Exercise Physiology at the University of New South Wales and first worked as an Exercise Physiologist in a retirement village and aged care facility, helping older adults who had a variety of health issues - including cognitive impairment. Following this chapter, I… Read More