Rotary support to QBI and their research program

Dr Daniel Blackmore is a senior post-doctoral research fellow in the Bartlett Laboratory at the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI). His research is focused on the ageing brain and developing approaches to slow or even reverse cognitive decline.

Dr Blackmore was one of the first to discover the age-associated decrease in neural stem cells. These stem cells are critical as they are able to generate new neurons which are essential for the formation of new memories. Daniel uses mice to study the exact mechanisms involved in these processes. He has shown that physical exercise is very effective at increasing neuron number and improving memory in very old animals. This research formed the basis for a recent human exercise study that demonstrated a significant improvement in the cognitive function of elderly Australians. The University of Queensland.

QUEENSLAND ROTARY ENDOWED CHAIR IN NEUROSCIENCE:

Rotary Queensland launched a major "Breakthrough Project" to raise $5 million to fund a perpetual, endowed chair position at QBI. This initiative unites multiple Rotary districts across Queensland to support leading neuroscientists researching brain disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and dementia.