International Alzheimer's experts unite for global effort

The world’s leading Alzheimer’s disease researchers and clinicians will gather in Melbourne this week to agree on standardisation and validation of important diagnostic and prognostic parameters used in Alzheimer’s research centres around the globe.

Alzheimer’s disease is a core health issue facing the entire world population with 280,000 Australians currently living with dementia and more than 35 million people worldwide. By 2050, the global figure is projected to increase to over 115 million.

A key global aim in Alzheimer’s disease research is to advance our understanding of its causes and early diagnosis and help develop preventative strategies. This will be a key focus for international experts attending the Research and Standardisation in Alzheimer’s Disease (RASAD 2012) conference on March 27-29 at the Melbourne Brain Centre in Melbourne.

Professor Richard Head from CSIRO said a disease as complex as Alzheimer’s requires the best global collaborations and interactions to achieve much needed health outcomes on a world wide scale.

“This conference is a key step in that process,” Professor Head said.

“RASAD 2012 will unite key international researchers, clinicians, industry, regulatory and government leaders in Alzheimer’s disease with the aim of setting common standards for the development of imaging and biomarker strategies. These agreements should speed research approaches to diagnostic methods for the disease,” he said.

In association with the international RASAD conference, a special public event will be held to help engage and inform the general public on current and future avenues for research into the prevention, early detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

Speakers at the public lecture, called ‘Consumers and researchers fighting Alzheimer’s disease together’, include Ita Buttrose AO, OBE, President Elect of Alzheimer’s Australia; Dr Maria Carrillo from the Alzheimer’s Association USA; Professor David Ames, co-chair of the AIBL study (Australian Imaging, Biomarker & Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing); and hosted by Professor Richard Head, Director of CSIRO’s Preventative Health Flagship.

The lecture, organised by CSIRO, AIBL and Alzheimer’s Australia, will be held at 6.30pm on Tuesday 27 March at the Melbourne Brain Centre.

A key funder of the conference is the Science and Industry Endowment Fund.