Australia pledges funding to find dementia breakthrough

The Australian Minister for Health, Peter Dutton, has announced the opening of a new round of dementia research grants and invited groups of researchers to apply for the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) new Dementia Research Team Grants, worth up to A$6.5 million ($6.0 million) each over five years.

Mr Dutton made the announcement while visiting the Clem Jones Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research in Brisbane, Australia’s first and only facility entirely focused on research into the prevention and treatment of dementia. More than 300,000 Australians have dementia and it is forecast that will grow to one million by 2050. It is now the third leading cause of death and a recent survey found dementia had overtaken cancer as the most feared disease for adults over 55.

The research grants will support new research into big themes: the causes of dementia, improved methods of prevention and early diagnosis, new treatment options and ways to improve quality of life for patients and their carers.