Sydney Dementia Network

The University of Sydney Sydney Dementia Network (SDN) seeks to unite dementia researchers, clinicians, carers and people with dementia to accelerate dementia research within NSW. The SDN executive comprise Profs Lee-Fay Low (Chair), Muireann Irish, Olivier Piguet, with early and mid-career researchers Drs Jacki Wesson, Johannes Michaelian, Carol Dobson-Stone, Rossana Rosa Porto and Penelope Monroe.

The SDN aims to ensure improved outcomes for people living with dementia and carers through advocacy and knowledge translation, while providing opportunities for researchers across NSW.

Who is part of the SDN?

The SDN brings together the largest multidisciplinary group of Australia’s leading dementia academics and clinician-researchers in Sydney LHD (Concord Hospital, Prof Louise Waite; Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, A/Prof Rebekah Ahmed), Northern Sydney LHD (Royal North Shore Hospital, Dr Helen Wu, Prof Sarah Hilmer; Hornsby Hospital, Prof Sue Kurrle), Western Sydney LHD (Blacktown Hospital Prof Richard Lindley), and Southern NSW LHD (Moruya Hospital, Prof Sue Kurrle). The network keeps researchers up to date with the needs of our local communities and supports clinicians to be involved with the latest research. We bring a strong and cohesive track record of working collaboratively to lead national efforts in innovating to impact practice and policy. Our partnership is successful not only because of our excellent collaboration but also because of our scale.

What do the SDN do?

Annual Symposium

The SDN has hosted a half-day symposium every year since 2018.

Workshops and webinars for researchers

We host international guest speakers, run networking events and workshops and webinars for researchers and clinicians. Sign up to our newsletter to be notified of these opportunities.

Early-Mid Career Researcher support

In 2024, we began offering travel grants and impact prizes for early-mid career researchers in the field of dementia research across Sydney and Australia more broadly.

These schemes are the Future Research Leader Award and Research Impact Award.

Sydney Dementia Network Lived Experience Expert Advisory Panel (SDN LEEAP)

The Sydney Dementia Network Lived Experience Expert Advisory Panel (LEEAP) was established in 2020 by Dr Claire O’Callaghan, Prof Muireann Irish and Prof Lee-Fay Low. LEEAP involves people with lived experience of dementia, including caregivers or family members, and people with dementia. The panel meets 3-4 times a year to provide dementia researchers with advice on research priorities, design, interpretation and other issues.

The goal of LEEAP is to promote engagement between dementia researchers and people with lived experience of dementia, so that research can be informed by the needs of those directly affected by dementia.

We invite dementia researchers to contact us if they are interested in engaging with the panel. Likewise, we invite people with lived experience of dementia to contact us if they are interested in being involved by emailing us.

More about the SDN

Examples of projects led by network members:

StepUp for Dementia Research (Led by Prof Yun-Hee Jeon) facilitates the public engagement and participation in dementia research. This national infrastructure is fast-tracking dementia research by connecting the public, people with dementia and carers with researchers delivering studies into dementia prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care.
The Australian Dementia Network (ADNeT) Memory Clinic (MC) Initiative: Prof Naismith leads the Memory Clinic Initiative of ADNeT, which aims to unite and improve standards of Memory and Cognition Clinics across Australia. We published Guidelines for Australian Memory and Cognition Clinics, working closely with clinicians, people with lived experience and carers, Dementia Australia and other stakeholders such as the Department of Health. We are currently piloting a virtual Memory and Cognition Clinic, working with Echuca Regional Health. We also developed a national Memory and Cognition Clinic Online Finder Tool that currently lists over 160 clinics across Australia.
The Interdisciplinary Home-based Reablement Program (I-HARP) (Led by Prof Yun-Hee Jeon). I-HARP was developed to address these issues with a dementia-specific, person-centred, time limited, home-based, interdisciplinary rehabilitation package. Data shows that I-HARP enhances the functioning of older people with dementia, mobility, independence, and both wellbeing and confidence that enables their ability to live at home for longer. Funded by the NHMRC (2017-21) this world-first implementation trial, with international collaborators from UK and the US, is being [OP1] conducted in 4 hospitals and 2 aged care services in Sydney to test the cost-effectiveness of the program.
Face Dementia: (Led by Prof Lee-Fay Low) is a program to increase timely dementia diagnosis. We have run a public campaign to encourage help-seeking for dementia symptoms, as well as a program to support identification, diagnosis and management of dementia by general practitioners and practice nurses. The project extension will be working with Chinese, Arabic and Vietnamese speakers.
Aged Care Providers: Sue Kurrle works closely with not-for-profit aged care provider HammondCare and their Dementia Centre as a Research Lead, assisting with developing evidence-based practice in both community and residential aged care for people with dementia.
NeuroMusic Collaborative: A collaboration between the Brain and Mind Centre and Sydney Conservatorium of Music and enabled by a generous philanthropic gift, this program will test whether music training workshops are a feasible cognitive training intervention for people experiencing mild cognitive decline - the stage before dementia develops.