A boost of $1.6 million for new research into Alzheimer's Disease for Australian scientists means that the early detection of the disease could well be in the pipeline.
Scientists at the University of Queensland (UQ) along with a team from the Medical University of South Carolina are working together to develop much needed methods for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and afflicts more than 26 million people.
The Queensland Premier Anna Bligh announced that $808,000 from the National and International Research Alliances Program has been awarded to support the three-year project, to add to the $810,000 from the two universities.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield said the team would aim to develop Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease.
Professor Greenfield says even though Alzheimer's Disease is known to be the most common cause of dementia, only around 60 percent of cases are diagnosed.
He says the new method will be non-invasive and will enable early diagnosis as well as safer monitoring of the progression of the illness.
Professor Greenfield says the biomarkers would also be used to assess the efficacy of new and emerging drugs that aim to delay or arrest the advance of Alzheimer's Disease.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Professor David Siddle says early detection would have other important implications for patients, their families and carers and give them more time to plan their futures and to access resources.
The team which involves UQ's Brain Institute, the Centre for Magnetic Resonance, the Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development/TetraQ and the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, as well as the Neuroscience Institute of the Medical University of South Carolina, have been lauded for their success in winning the funds.