This grant will guide best clinical practice in Australia, revolutionize our understanding of the mechanisms through which acute illness and surgery alter the cognitive trajectory, and lead international efforts in trials on the prevention of delirium. It will significantly expand the breadth of Professor Sanders research program and accelerate the depth of accumulated knowledge for the field. The timing of this work is critical as (1) biospecimens and imaging data are ready for analysis; (2) there is a significant knowledge gap in these areas of research; (3) my mechanistic evidence suggests novel preventative measures for delirium that can be implemented rapidly and cost-effectively; and (4) in Australia, we can optimise best clinical practice for preventing delirium.
This program of research encompasses three projects: a) translate delirium research into national standards and a collaborative research network; b) determine whether cumulative hospitalisations lead to chronic inflammation and neurodegeneration that mediate long-term cognitive decline using UK biobank data and c) conduct new trials informed by discovery, research collaboration and new networks
Ultimately, this grant will guide best clinical practice on perioperative neuroprotection in Australia, revolutionize our understanding of the mechanisms through which acute illness and surgery alter the cognitive trajectory, and lead international efforts in trials on the prevention of delirium.
Professor Robert Sanders, The University of Sydney, NSW
The project was awarded $A100,000 through the ANZCA research grants program for 2023.