partner representatives

The AIBL study draws together experts in neuroimaging, biomarkers, neuropsychology, and lifestyle interventions.

lead scientists

Prof. David Ames

The study is lead by Prof. David Ames BA, MD, FRCPsych, FRANZCP, professor of Ageing and Health at the University of Melbourne and Director of The National Ageing Research Institute (NARI). Prof. Ames holds the University of Melbourne's Foundation Chair of Psychiatry of Old Age at St. George's Hospital Kew where he is also Director of the Aged Psychiatry Service. He is a member of the Medical & Scientific Advisory Panel of Alzheimer's Disease International and has been Editor of the Peer Reviewed Journal International Psychogeriatrics since January 2003. His main research interests are new drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease and the care of the depressed elderly.

Dr. Kathryn Ellis

Dr. Kathryn Ellis BAppSc (Hons), PhD, graduated with a bachelor of applied science with first class honours in psychology and psychophysiology in 2000. She was awarded one of four prestigious Swinburne University Chancellor's Research Scholarships in 2001 to undertake her PhD in behavioural neurosciences, which involved a year placement at Imperial College of London conducting PET neuroimaging and studies of cognition. Kathryn currently holds a research fellow position at the University of Melbourne and her main roles include national management of the AIBL study and management of the Melbourne node of Dementia Collaborative Research Centre. Dr. Ellis, Prof. Paul Maruff (Chief Science Officer, Cogstate Ltd, and Centre for Neuroscience, University of Melbourne), Associate Prof. Greg Savage (Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, NSW) and Dr. Jonathan Foster (Senior Fellow in Cognitive Neuroscience, Edith Cowan University) lead the neuropsychological testing of the cohort to classify participants and monitor their condition.

Dr Lance Macaulay

Dr Lance Macaulay is the Theme Leader of Neurodegenerative disease, mental disorders and brain health in CSIRO's Preventative Health Flagship. Dr Macaulay is responsible for the strategic development, science planning and project portfolio management of neurodegenerative disease research activities across the CSIRO Preventative Health Flagship. Dr Macaulay has over 30 years. experience in cell biology and biochemistry, specifically signal transduction and leads the Molecular solutions group at CSIRO Material Science and Engineering in Parkville, Victoria.

Prof. Ralph Martins

Prof. Ralph Martins BSC (Hons) PhD holds the Inaugural Chair, Ageing and Alzheimer's Disease, Edith Cowan University, Western Australia, and also heads the Edith Cowan University's Centre for Excellence in Alzheimer's Disease Research and Care. Prof Martins' research isolated and characterized the protein components of the amyloid deposits characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Together with Prof. Ashley Bush (Federation Fellow at the MHRI) who is internationally renowned for seminal discoveries on the impact of metal and oxidative biology on neurodegenerative disorders, Prof. Martins leads the diagnostics and biomarkers program aimed at early stage identification and assessing effectiveness of interventions.

Prof. Colin Masters

Prof. Colin Masters, Emeritus Professor of Pathology, University of Melbourne and Director of The Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria (MHRI) has major input into the biomarkers program based on his discovery of the brain amyloid protein and extensive international network. Prof. Masters is a world leader in research into Alzheimer's disease and viral infections of the brain. He was the recipient of a 2002 Citation Laureate Award for his contribution to research. He also was awarded Australia's Mayne Florey Medal in 2002 and the King Faisal Award in 1997. Prof. Masters has held many senior scientific positions and is a Professor of Pathology at the University of Melbourne. He is also Chief of Neuropathology of the Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria, Consultant in pathology at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and a scientific advisor to Neuroscience Australia.

Dr. Andrew Milner

Dr. Andrew Milner is CEO of Neurosciences Victoria Ltd. and Neurosciences Australia Ltd. He did his PhD at the Australian National University and has previously worked in commercial organisations developing, manufacturing and marketing products for human and animal health. His previous positions were in Mimotopes, AstraZeneca, Zeneca, Kendle, and Daratech.

Dr. Tim O'Meara

Dr. Tim O'Meara is Business Development and Commercialisation manager for the CSIRO Neurodegenerative Diseases research theme where he oversees all aspects of the theme's interaction with external parties including collaborators and commercial organisations. He has extensive experience in the negotiation of complex commercial arrangements including collaborative and licensing arrangements and in developing new business opportunities. As part of that role with AIBL he oversees all external interactions on behalf of AIBL including managing Expressions of Interests for access to AIBL materials and Data.

Prof. Chris Rowe

Christopher Rowe FRACP MD is Director of the Department of Nuclear Medicine and Centre for PET and a consultant neurologist to the Memory Disorders Clinic at the Austin Hospital, Melbourne. He has published extensively on SPECT in epilepsy and beta-amyloid imaging in Alzheimer's disease. Prof. Rowe and Associate Professor Nat Lenzo (Fremantle Hospital and Edith Cowan University) apply state-of-the-art neuroimaging technology to develop and confirm new diagnostic tests and biomarkers.

Dr. Cassandra Szoeke

Dr. Cassandra Szoeke brings together management skills with a scientific background in genetics, pharmacology, neurology and neurodegenerative disease. Cassandra is responsible for the strategic development, science planning and project portfolio management of neurodegenerative disease research activities across the CSIRO Preventative Health Flagship. Prior to joining the CSIRO, Dr. Szoeke was working full time in clinical neurology with an academic appointment at the University of Melbourne. She continues to maintain her clinical practise as a neurologist and supervision of tertiary students with a part time academic appointment.

study research team

quick links

• Prof. David Ames
• Dr. Kathryn Ellis
• Dr. Lance Macaulay
• Prof. Ralph Martins
• Prof. Colin Masters
• Dr. Andrew Milner
• Prof. Chris Rowe
• Dr. Tim O'Meara
• Dr. Cassandra Szoeke
• study research team

partner organisations

publications

• AIBL volunteers function presentation [PDF:530kb]
  
• The Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing (AIBL) methodology and baseline characteristics of 1112 individuals recruited for a longitudinal study of Alzheimer's disease. [PDF:224kb]
  In Press. International Psychogeriatrics, First View article. Published online by Cambridge University Press 27 May 2009
  doi: 10.1017/S1041610209009405
• P1-238: The Australian biomarker, imaging and lifestyle study: Preliminary PiB results Alzheimer's and Dementia, Volume 4, Issue 4, Supplement 1, July 2008, Page T283 doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2008.05.827
• IC-03-03: The Australian Biomarker, Imaging and Lifestyle Study: Preliminary PIB results Alzheimer's and Dementia, Volume 4, Issue 4, Supplement 1, July 2008, Page T7 doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2008.05.008
• Discovering the Early Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease: Neuropsychological Findings from the Longitudinal AIBL Flagship Study of Ageing [Abstract]. Brain Impairment, 9, 2008, 64-65.