$3 million for international collaborations in Indigenous health research

Two Australian-Canadian research teams will receive funding under the 2024 NHMRC-Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA): Indigenous Health Research grant opportunity.

This collaborative grant opportunity was developed through phase III of the CCNA, which is Canada’s national consortium for research involving neurodegenerative diseases that affect cognition in aging - including Alzheimer's disease.

NHMRC funded researchers will aim to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias from occurring, delay or slow the clinical manifestations or progression of the already developing disease, and/or improve quality of life and access to quality dementia care specifically in Indigenous populations.

A project led out of the University of Western Australia by Associate Professor Kate Smith will collaboratively develop community informed resources for culturally responsive and respectful health communication along the dementia journey. These resources will enhance the accessibility and quality of health care, enabling better health and quality of life outcomes for Indigenous peoples internationally. 

Professor Dina LoGiudice from the University of Melbourne will lead a collaborative project between First Nations in Australia and Canada aiming to develop strength based approaches to assessing and measuring cognitive impairment, dementia, and frailty that are rooted in First Nations understandings. This proposal will also lead to increased collaboration between First Nations researchers and communities in both countries.

Composed of 13 institutes, CIHR is Canada's federal funding agency for health research. Their mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened Canadian health care system.

NHMRC funding provided through these grants will support the Australian component of the collaborative partnerships, while the Canadian research partners will be funded by CIHR.

All funding details can be downloaded on NHMRC’s outcomes of funding rounds webpage.

Quotes attributable to NHMRC CEO Professor Steve Wesselingh:

• “Through sharing our knowledge with Canadian researchers, these grants will build lasting connections between researchers, institutions and countries on mutual global health priorities.
• “NHMRC remains committed to supporting dementia research in Australia and addressing the challenge of dementia within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
• “Congratulations to the researchers and their teams receiving funding today to collaborate internationally – I can’t wait to see how you advance neurodegenerative disease research to support more equitable health outcomes.”

Quotes attributable to Professor Dina LoGiudice:

• “This collaborative project between Australian and Canadian academics aims to reimagine how frailty is measured in people living with dementia, with a focus on First Nations perspectives and wellbeing.
• “The research model draws on Indigenous teachings such as the Two-Row Wampum, that promotes peaceful sharing and the use of resources in a spirit of mutual cooperation.
• “We will learn from our own experiences and research in Australia and Canada to build on inclusive, trustworthy, and Indigenous community centred dementia research in both countries.
• “By developing new tools and understanding frailty in a more holistic context, this project seeks to have an immediate impact on First Nations health organisations in both countries.”

Quotes attributable to Associate Professor Kate Smith:

• “Elders are the integral knowledge holders for community. This collaboration builds on a long standing highly productive partnership between Canadian and Australian Indigenous researchers in Elders’ brain health.
• “We look forward to working closely with our new collaboration with the University of Alberta and Métis Elders.
• “There is an urgent need for the development of communication and culturally safe practice resources for health professionals working with older Indigenous peoples and families through the dementia healthcare journey.
• “This study will also provide much needed support for our UWA Indigenous postgraduate and early career researchers to build connections with Canadian Indigenous researchers and knowledge holders in this field.”