Leading neuroscientist wins 2015 CSL Florey Medal

Professor Perry Bartlett has been presented with the 2015 CSL Florey Medal for his groundbreaking discoveries in the field of neuroscience. The $50,000 medal, presented every two years by the Australian Institute of Policy and Science (AIPS), recognises achievements in biomedical science and human health advancement.

Professor Bartlett was congratulated by Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Christopher Pyne, who noted that the pioneering scientist broke the scientific dogma that the adult brain can’t change and regenerate.

“It was very exciting when I was able to prove that there were actually stem cells in the adult brain, which means that the adult brain has the capacity to repair itself,” Professor Bartlett said.

“This has significant implications for treatments for people with brain injuries and diseases,” he added, including dementia and depression.

Additionally, Professor Bartlett has used exercise to reverse the effects of dementia and recover memories in animal models. He said human exercise trials were expected to start in 2016.

“The effect of dementia on hundreds of thousands of Australians is debilitating and devastating,” Professor Bartlett said.

“If we can show that exercise can actually slow down or reverse the onset of dementia, then we can potentially make a positive difference to a lot of people’s lives.”

Professor Bartlett is also the founding director of the Queensland Brain Institute, located within The University of Queensland (UQ). According to Pyne, Professor Bartlett’s dedication to the institute has “nurtured a new generation of Australian neuroscientists who are making their own world-leading discoveries” — from using ultrasound to treat Alzheimer’s disease to finding stem cells associated with mood, spatial learning and more.

Professor Bartlett’s work has been supported by the Australian Government through the National Health and Medical Research Council and Australian Research Council.

Image caption: 2015 CSL Florey Medal winner Professor Perry Bartlett. Image credit: The University of Queensland.