Up to four Post-doctoral Fellowships will be available. The highest-ranked application in an area that aligns with the objectives of Race Against Dementia will receive the prestigious Race Against Dementia – Dementia Australia Research Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship.
Purpose
The Post-doctoral Fellowship scheme aims to attract early-career researchers (within six years of PhD completion) to the dementia research field and provide them with the opportunity to fast-track their path to becoming independent researchers.
Topic and Scope
The Fellowships are open to Australian-based dementia researchers working across all forms of dementia, in any of the following areas:
- Biomedical (lab-based) research
- Clinical studies
- Psychosocial research
- Knowledge translation projects
Example topic areas include (but are not limited to):
- Understanding the causes of dementia
- Developing strategies to reduce dementia risk and slow progression
- Providing accurate and timely diagnoses
- Testing potential new treatments for dementia sub-types
- Improving care and support for people with dementia, their families, and carers
- Increasing awareness and understanding of the rights and experiences of those living with dementia
- Finding a cure for dementia
Project Team Requirements
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Applicants must secure a supervisor at the host or related institution, who must:
- Hold a contract (fixed-term or tenure) for the full duration of the Fellowship
- If not tenured, a co-supervisor at the host institution who does hold tenure must be included
- Provide access to necessary research facilities
- Maintain oversight of the Fellow and their research programme
- Contribute actively to the Fellow’s training and development
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Applicants must demonstrate:
- Appropriate research credentials
- Strong proposal and a capable supervisory team
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Applications from multi-disciplinary teams are encouraged, including:
- Health professionals
- Statisticians
- Health economists
- Public health researchers
- Policy makers
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It is highly recommended that people living with dementia, their carers and families are involved throughout the project, from planning to completion.
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All team members must comply with the relevant eligibility criteria.
Award Funding
The Post-doctoral Fellowship is for a duration of three years and includes:
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A salary component of $118,000 per annum, which may be indexed annually in line with wage growth.
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The level of appointment and final salary is to be negotiated between the host institution and the Fellow.
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The host institution must cover any salary and on-costs exceeding the provided amount.
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Fellowships are intended to be full-time, but part-time arrangements (with pro-rata salary) may be considered under special circumstances.
In addition to the salary, the Fellowship includes an $85,000 project grant to support research expenses.
Race Against Dementia
Purpose and Background
Founded by Formula 1 legend Sir Jackie Stewart, Race Against Dementia is a global initiative that raises and allocates funds to support innovative, high-impact dementia research aimed at prevention or treatment.
Race Against Dementia:
- Identifies and funds the most talented early-career researchers
- Provides catalyst funding for innovative ideas that may not receive mainstream support
- Aims to instil a ‘Formula 1 attitude’ – high standards, speed, and precision – to accelerate research progress
- Forms global alliances with centres of research excellence
More information, including details of past fellowship recipients, is available on the Race Against Dementia website.
The 2025 Race Against Dementia – Dementia Australia Research Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship
In 2025, Race Against Dementia and the Dementia Australia Research Foundation will jointly support one Post-doctoral Fellowship.
Purpose:
To support an outstanding early-career researcher in developing innovative solutions to the major challenges in dementia research. The Fellowship is intended to fast-track the recipient’s progression towards becoming an independent researcher.
Objectives:
- Accelerate research breakthroughs through ambitious and novel projects
- Provide a unique, flexible funding package and career development opportunities
- Enable diverse secondments to promote interdisciplinary and international collaboration
Development Opportunities:
Race Against Dementia offers a comprehensive support programme, including:
- A mentorship scheme matching Fellows with leading academics, industry experts, and Formula 1 professionals
- Regular virtual meetings with peers and mentors
- An annual Summit and Forum, providing a unique space to participate in a global expert community
Fellows will be expected to interact with a diverse range of stakeholders, with a shared focus on developing techniques and processes that drive faster progress in dementia research.
- Fellows are strongly encouraged to undertake a secondment (up to six months) to either academic or non-academic sectors.
- Secondments are intended to foster new collaborations and enable Fellows to develop skills not readily available in their home institution or region.
By the end of the Fellowship period, recipients should be able to demonstrate:
- A strong emerging track record in dementia research
- Research outputs that enhance their competitiveness for future grant or fellowship funding
- Evidence of the capacity to undertake substantial research and begin translating findings into practice
Topic and Scope
This Fellowship is open to Australian-based dementia researchers working in the broad areas of dementia prevention and treatment, including both:
- Biomedical (lab-based) research
- Human/clinical research projects
Example topic areas include (but are not limited to):
- Understanding the causes of dementia
- Developing strategies or treatments to reduce risk and slow or reverse progression
- Improving accuracy and timeliness of diagnoses
- Finding a cure for dementia
Project Team Requirements
Applicants must secure a supervisor at the host or a related institution who:
- Holds a contract (fixed-term or tenure) for the full project duration
- If not tenured, a co-supervisor at the host institution with tenure must be included
- Provides access to research facilities and oversight of the Fellow’s research
- Actively contributes to the Fellow’s training and development
- Supports involvement in the developmental opportunities offered by Race Against Dementia
Secondment Opportunities
- Secondments to other institutions in Australia or overseas are encouraged and should be outlined in the application.
- The Fellowship is designed to be flexible. If opportunities for secondment arise after the start date, Fellows are encouraged to contact the Dementia Australia Research Foundation to discuss and seek approval.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration
Applicants must demonstrate:
- Suitable research credentials
- Strength and feasibility in their proposal and supervisory team
Applications from multi-disciplinary teams are welcomed, including:
- Scientists
- Health professionals
- Public health researchers
Involvement of people living with dementia, their carers, and families throughout the project (from design to delivery) is highly recommended.
Ensure all team members and arrangements comply with the relevant eligibility criteria.
Award Funding
The Race Against Dementia – Dementia Australia Research Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship is awarded for up to five years, with a formal review at the end of year three to assess progress and determine continuation of funding.
Applications should provide a three-year proposal, with a brief outline of work to be undertaken in years four and five. This future work may also be discussed at interview. At the end of the three-year review, successful applicants will be required to submit a detailed two-year proposal extension.
The award includes a salary component of $118,000 per annum, which may be indexed in line with wage growth each year. The level of appointment and salary is to be negotiated between the host institution and the recipient; the host institution will be required to cover any salary and on-cost expenses above the salary component of the award. The Fellowship is intended to be undertaken on a full-time basis, however, part-time arrangements (with salary pro-rata) may be negotiated under special circumstances.
The five-year Fellowship also includes a $125,000 project grant, comprising $85,000 in the first three years, and an additional $40,000 following a satisfactory three-year review, to cover research expenses and costs associated with secondments. Race Against Dementia will also cover additional costs relating to the development opportunities provided to successful applicants.
Race Against Dementia Fellowship applications will also be assessed as part of the three-year Dementia Australia Research Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship scheme.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for any Post-doctoral Fellowship:
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At the time of application, acceptance and for the duration of the grant, the Applicant (Chief Investigator, CI) must be an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen living in Australia, or a permanent resident of Australia. All applicants must provide evidence to their host institution to support this criterion. Host institutions are responsible for certifying and ensuring that these requirements are met. The Dementia Australia Research Foundation may request further information in relation to these requirements. Applicants who hold a temporary work visa are not eligible to apply.
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The CI must not have more than six years post-PhD experience at the time of applying, adjusted for career interruptions – i.e. the CI was awarded a PhD or equivalent (DPhil or M.D. by research) on or after 29 July 2019. The thesis must be passed prior to the proposed commencement date of the project, i.e. before March 2026.
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The CI must not hold a fellowship funded by another organisation, unless they plan to relinquish the existing fellowship if successful.
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The CI must identify an experienced dementia researcher as a supervisor, who is based at the same or a related institution (e.g. an affiliated hospital or research institute). Under usual circumstances, the mentor would not have been the applicant’s PhD supervisor.
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The research must be conducted primarily in Australia and address the topic and scope of the funding round. However, the Race Against Dementia – Dementia Australia Research Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship may include a six-month secondment that may be undertaken within or outside Australia.
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The research must be approved by an authorised ethics committee, if applicable. Grant payments may be withheld until ethics approval has been obtained.
Visit funding web page
(https://www.dementia.org.au/research/dementia-australia-research-foundation-grants/information-applicants)
