Understanding the human brain is one of the greatest challenges of our time and we are on the cusp of a revolution in brain sciences.
Our mission is to establish an Australian Brain Initiative that will create advanced industries in neurotechnology, develop treatments for debilitating brain disorders, and produce high-impact collaborations that will increase our understanding of the brain.
An Australian Brain Initiative will help us make major advances in understanding healthy, optimal brain function, and create advanced industries based on this unique understanding.
This will also help us identify the causes of debilitating brain disorders, and develop the treatments that we need to improve the lives of sufferers.
If we fail to make a strategic national investment in brain sciences, Australia will fall behind while the rest of the world takes advantage of the commercial, medical, educational and electronic advances that will be based on brain research.
In April 2015, Fiona Parkinson went from an ordinary Mum of three boys who worked part time and worked on the family’s hobby farm, to having to walk with a stick. It took seven months to be diagnosed with Superficial Siderosis, a rare neurodegenerative disease.
Darron Eastwell was riding his mountain bike in the Tewantin National Park in Queensland. It was a regular ride for him, and one that he had done many times before. He didn’t think he would end the day in an intensive care unit.
Keep up to date with the latest from the Australian Brain Alliance.
Our Fact Sheets take a closer look at the kinds of research areas and diseases that an Australian Brain Initiative would tackle.