Print This PostExploring how the gut microbiome may be key to the early diagnosis and development of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and combining gene editing technology with artificial intelligence are just two of the projects to receive funding from the Dementia Australia Research Foundation’s 2023 Grant Round.
The Dementia Australia Research Foundation today announced funding for 24 projects in the 2023 Grants Program, worth more than $3 million in total.
Macquarie University post-doctoral fellow Dr Pradeep Manuneedhi Cholan received the Race Against Dementia – Dementia Australia Research Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellowship to study how the gut microbiome impacts the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Established in 2020 by racing legend and Dementia Australia Patron Sir Jackie Stewart OBE’s Race Against Dementia charity and the Dementia Australia Research Foundation, the Fellowship supports early career researchers in the field of dementia prevention or treatment.
“The gut is often referred to as our ‘second brain’ as it can control our emotions, stress response and cognition. Previous research has shown that the metabolites produced by bacterial species in the gut can impact inflammation in the brain, which can either exacerbate or alleviate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. What is not known is specifically how the metabolites produced by different types of gut bacteria can regulate the progression of Alzheimer’s disease which is what I will be focusing on with this project. If successful, this project will pave the way for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and aid in the development of new drug treatments. It could also allow for better management of Alzheimer’s disease by analysing the gut composition of patients and providing them with lifestyle-based interventions tailored to their particular microbiome.” Dr Pradeep Manuneedhi Cholan
“Race Against Dementia prides itself on finding new ways of doing business. We are very pleased to welcome Pradeep to the team as his commitment and ingenuity are essential tools that will assist us to find new avenues for treatments to challenge dementia in the fullest sense.” Sir Jackie Stewart
The Dementia Australia Research Foundation acknowledges the generosity of donors who contribute each and every year to support dementia research and the grants program. Since the Dementia Grants Program started in 2000, over $31 million in funding has supported more than 380 projects.
The full list of grant recipients is available here.
The Dementia Australia Research Foundation is the research arm of Dementia Australia, which provides funding to support new and emerging dementia researchers.
For support, please contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. An interpreter service is available. The National Dementia Helpline is funded by th
