Healthy Ageing Colloquium held at Centenary

Prompted by the need to limit the growing burden of disease and to improve the quality of life for older Australians, invited speakers came together from the Centenary Institute, QIMR Berghofer, the University of Sydney and the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.

Topics explored at the colloquium included frailty and dementia; nutrition and ageing; long COVID and the older population; ageing blood vessels and potential links with Alzheimer’s disease; and mitochondria-targeted therapeutics to prevent age-associated muscle weakness.

Associate Professor Andy Philp, Head of the Centenary Institute’s Biology of Ageing Laboratory and colloquium convener said medical research into age-related disease was essential to improving global health outcomes.

“Chronic, life-limiting illnesses like Alzheimer’s, heart disease, musculoskeletal decline, stroke or cancer rises significantly as individuals grow older,” said Dr Philp.

“It’s imperative that new strategies are developed to limit the growing burden of disease and to help improve and to save lives.”

Dr Philp said that the Centenary Institute was actively prioritising research into the biology of ageing and disease – and building alliances with like-minded organisations – to pioneer new therapies to promote healthy ageing.