After receiving the 2015 CSL Florey Medal last week, Professor Perry Bartlett has followed up with a Lifetime Achievement award from peak body, Research Australia.
Professor Bartlett, said he was honoured to receive the award, which recognises a lifetime commitment to supporting and promoting health and medical research.
“I am delighted to receive this award but it’s also a broader recognition of the breadth and depth of research being done at the Queensland Brain Institute,” he said.
“The brain is a complex machine and its function is little understood. At QBI, we have some of the world’s best neuroscientists investigating how the brain works and what happens when it dysfunctions.
“We have groups working on understanding the mechanisms that underpin dementia, anxiety and depression, schizophrenia, brain injuries, stroke and motor neuron disease.
“In the next two to three years we’re taking several of the discoveries we’ve made into the clinic, and that’s when another chapter will begin.”
Unlocking the secrets of the brain
Queensland Brain Institute director Professor Pankaj Sah said Professor Bartlett had shown an unwavering dedication to unlocking the secrets of the brain.
“Perry launched himself out of the starting blocks when he switched from immunology to neuroscience in the 1970s,” he said.
“Since then he has discovered that the brains of adult mice have stem cells, which means the neurons can regenerate. This opens up avenues for further research into treatments for people with brain injuries and diseases.
“On top of that, he established the Queensland Brain Institute at The University of Queensland in 2003, starting with a cohort of about 10 and building it to a thriving neuroscience hub with more than 500 staff and students.
“During his tenure as director, he helped forge strong links with China, establishing two joint laboratories with the Chinese Academy of Science in Beijing and one with the Second Military Medical University in Shanghai.
“I would like to congratulate Perry on receiving this award for what has been a true lifetime of achievements.”
MEDIA: Bernadette Condren, b.condren@uq.edu.au, 0413 881 597; Professor Perry Bartlett, +61 7 3365 1603.
