University of Otago brain health researcher Prof Cliff Abraham is "delighted'' his research team has received a programme grant of nearly $5million to pursue a new approach to counter Alzheimer's disease.
Prof Abraham is co-director of Brain Research New Zealand.
His research team has received a $4,933,052 grant to investigate "harnessing brain mechanisms to tackle Alzheimer's Disease'', as part of $43.8million in grants to Otago University in the Health Research Council's latest nationwide funding round, which totals more than $100million.
His team includes Dr Stephanie Hughes, Associate Prof Ping Liu, Prof Warren Tate and Dr Joanna Williams.
The planned research included considering how the researchers could "harness the brain's own neuroprotective and memory-enhancing molecules to fight the disease''.
Prof Abraham was "cautiously optimistic'' progress could be achieved in learning more about the mechanisms of the disease, so that more effective therapies could be developed.
Other University of Otago programme funding is for the Dunedin Study, Associate Prof Beverley Lawton and Prof Tony Blakely, both of the university's Wellington campus, $5million, and Associate Prof John Horwood, of the Christchurch campus, $4.3million.
