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Heidi Douglass | h.douglass@unsw.edu.au | Helena Hudson | h.hudson@unsw.edu.au

Dementia affects more than 57 million people worldwide and is the second leading cause of death of all Australians. There is no cure. If we want to change the future, we must fund the science – and the scientists – who will lead us there. 

At CHeBA, our researchers are confronting this challenge head-on through innovative, multidisciplinary research and their success depends on philanthropic support. Investing in early career researchers is critical to driving discovery and sustaining the momentum required to tackle complex problems like dementia. 

Thanks to the generosity of the Kwan Fung and Yuet Ying Fung families, two outstanding emerging researchers - Dr Danit Saks and doctoral student Arnav Bhattacharya - have received vital funding to advance their work and represent Australian research on the global stage. 

Post-doctoral Research Fellow Dr Danit Saks is spearheading AusCADASIL with Chief Investigator Perminder Sachdev, the first nationwide study of CADASIL – a rare, inherited form of vascular dementia.  

“By studying CADASIL, we can better understand the broader landscape of vascular dementia.”

CADASIL is caused by a genetic mutation that leads to strokes, migraines and progressive cognitive decline. 

The AusCADASIL study is the first study to provide a resource and support to the CADASIL population in Australia, something that has until now been lacking.

Dr Saks is coordinating multiple sites across Australia to recruit participants and build a comprehensive understanding of this under-researched disease.  To date, 45 individuals have been assessed, with the goal of reaching 300 participants. 

“This type of funding allows me to increase awareness of CADASIL and our study,” said Dr Saks. “Travelling to present at key conferences means I can connect with neurologists and researchers, learn from their experience, and share our findings with a global audience.”

Dr Saks has already used some of the Kwan Fung and Yuet Ying Fung Healthy Brain Ageing Research Award to present preliminary results at the Australian and New Zealand Association of Neurologists Annual Scientific Meeting and is preparing to present at the VASCOG Society meeting in the UK later this year. 

With a background in Genetic Engineering and proteomics, CHeBA PhD student Arnav Bhattacharya is investigating one of the most uncharted frontiers in dementia research - the role of the brain microbiome. While research focusing on the gut microbiome is experiencing a surge in popularity, research on the brain microbiome - the community of bacteria that live within the brain - is limited. Working under the supervision of Genomics & Epigenomics Group Leader Dr Karen Mather, Arnav’s study is exploring whether bacterial infections may contribute to Alzheimer’s disease. His work aims to understand whether bacteria in the brain could influence how the disease starts or progresses.

His work compares post-mortem brain tissue from people with and without Alzheimer’s, using advanced proteomic and genomic techniques. The Kwan Fung and Yuet Ying Fung Healthy Brain Ageing Research Award funding is helping Arnav with experimental costs, as well as enabling him to present his findings at international Alzheimer’s and proteomics conferences in the future.

Established by Ms Mabel Cheng and her sisters, Ms Teresa Lau, Ms Belinda Chiu and Ms May Fung in honour of their parents, the late Mrs Yuet Ying Fung and the late Kwan Fung - the Kwan Fung and Yuet Ying Fung Healthy Brain Ageing Research Award has been helping CHeBA to drive growth in underfunded areas of medical research since 2016. By supporting vital projects led by promising early-career researchers, the Fund is helping to build a new generation of future leaders and make significant advancements in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. 

“According to Dementia Australia in 2025 there are an estimated 433,300 Australians living with dementia. Without a significant intervention, the number of people with dementia is expected to increase to an estimated 812,500 by 2054. 

“With the advance of science and technology we are living longer and the chance of getting dementia is higher. A cure may not happen in the near future. Research is very important to help us to find a cure eventually.”

The challenges posed by dementia are urgent and far-reaching. Philanthropic support like that provided by this Fund enables talented early-career researchers to focus on innovative, high-impact projects, travel to key conferences, build collaborations and grow into future leaders in the field. 

At CHeBA, we believe backing the next generation of researchers is one of the most powerful and impactful ways to accelerate discovery, improve diagnosis, and unlock new pathways to prevent dementia. Their innovation provides strong hope for a healthier future.