Blood testing to predict and discriminate dementias
A blood test for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is urgently needed. This project will bring together Australia’s leading dementia researchers, the largest dementia-related research cohort ever assembled in this country (e.g., AIBL, ADNeT, PISA, MiND/BeYOND), and a host of commercial partners.
Our project will substantially improve the health and wellbeing of Australians living with dementia by enabling earlier and more effective diagnosis; increasing our understanding of dementia pathogenesis and natural history; and improving clinical trial screening and stratification for drug development.
Aims
- Introduce the first TGA-registered blood test for AD neuropathology.
- Develop well-validated and optimised blood tests that can be used in the diagnosis and prognosis of AD and other dementias, and to predict the onset and progression of cognitive decline.
- Develop guidelines for clinicians for using these tests and interpreting them in the context of auxiliary clinical data (e.g. genetics, lipidomics and imaging).
- Determine whether these innovations improve health and management outcomes for patients within Australian memory clinics.
- Determine the costs and effectiveness of providing blood tests in Australian memory clinics to support an MSAC application for an MBS listing.
We have access to an abundance of resources (e.g. more than 3000 banked plasma samples, 4–15 years of associated longitudinal cognitive, genetic and neuroimaging data), expertise in biomarker development, strong clinical and commercial connections, and significant experience in research translation.
The project will enhance Australia’s profile in the international biotechnology arena by actualising rapid and successful public–private partnerships to deploy clinical neuroscience products.
Research team
Members
- Professor Chris Rowe
- Dr Emilio Werden
- Professor Scott Ayton
- Celeste Mawal
- Dr Adam Southon
Research group
Collaborators
Studies
- Centre of Research Excellence in Enhanced Dementia Diagnosis (CREEDD)
- The Australian Imaging, Biomarker & Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing (AIBL)
- Australian Dementia Network (ADNeT)
- Prospective Imaging Study of Ageing: Genes, Brain and Behaviour (PISA)
- Biomarkers in younger-onset neurocognitive disorders (BeYOND) study and its extension, Markers in Neuropsychiatric Disorders Study (MiND)
Universities and medical research institutes
University of Melbourne, Monash University, The Council of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR Berghofer), CSIRO, University of Newcastle, Edith Cowan University, and Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute.
Contact us
If you’re interested in learning more about this project please contact our team.