Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What these higher education reforms can deliver are things that are happening at the moment at the University of Queensland. We received amazing news last week with the breakthrough in Alzheimer's research by Professor Jurgen Gotz and his team. The research is performed at the Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research. They have found that non-invasive ultrasound technology can be used to not only treat the disease but actually restore memory as well. They break apart neurotoxic amyloid plaques that cause memory loss and cognitive decline. The treatment is inexpensive and completely drug free. This is an amazing step forward.

The next step will be to upscale, to test a larger animal, probably a sheep, and this should begin soon. Human trials are still a few years away, but I can think of a few possible subjects.

Alzheimer's affects more than two-thirds of dementia patients and a quarter of a million Australians. By 2050 the total number of dementia cases in Australia is expected to reach 900,000. This is an amazing step forward in the search to find a cure for Alzheimer's and, once again, it is Australia and Queensland leading the way in this innovation. Congratulations to the Queensland Brain Institute founding director, Professor Perry Bartlett, and to Professor Jurgen Gotz and his wonderful team.