Hope for future treatments for Alzheimer's disease

My connection to nursing

My name is Reuben Blades, and I am currently studying towards a PhD in Medicine at the Dementia Research Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney. Although I have no personal experience in the field of nursing or care for older people, I have had the pleasure of being raised by two incredible women in the profession. My mother, who is an active member of the RCN, is a true inspiration in my life and continues to motivate and support my PhD journey, even from the other side of the world. My grandmother has been a nurse since she was 16 years old and was dedicated to the care of older people through her nursing home and businesses, only retiring in her mid-80’s due to her health.

My journey into dementia research

Dementia has quickly risen to become a major health crisis around the world, affecting more than 55 million people, and rising every year. Dementia is one of the leading causes of disability and dependency among older people, placing a large social and economic strain on our communities. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s Disease, which makes up approximately 70% of dementia cases. To date, there is no treatment to prevent, halt or reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease, as current therapies only achieve some symptomatic relief. For researchers like myself, this is the motivation behind our efforts.

My research focuses on the proteins in the brain which are responsible for the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as other neurodegenerative conditions such as Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Frontotemporal Dementia. We have designed new chemical processes to analyse these proteins, with the aim of having a better understanding of their biology and structure, which is currently a major challenge in Alzheimer’s Disease research. With this knowledge comes the means to design new targeted therapeutics to combat the devastating effects of neurodegenerative disease.

Hope for the future

Dementia is a complex and poorly understood disease, with many unknown factors that are yet to be addressed before a safe and effective cure can be developed. However, over recent years, research into Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias have gained momentum and effective treatments are now seen as high priority. During my time in academia, I have had the opportunity to experience the most cutting-edge research from world leaders in the field of dementia. I believe with the trajectory that current research is on, we will gain an acute understanding of Dementia, with the hopes of putting this debilitating disease to an end.