HEADBOX Lab

23/08/2026

Our MENOCOG study was featured on 7NEWS this weekend, helping bring greater attention to an important area of women's health research: menopause, cognition and brain health.

MENOCOG is investigating whether creatine may support cognition and mood in postmenopausal women experiencing changes in memory and thinking.

In the segment, PhD researcher Lauren Dewsbury discusses why menopause affects the brain, the emerging interest in creatine and brain energy, and why more research is needed before we can know whether creatine may be useful in this context.

We're delighted to see this research reaching women across Australia and contributing to the growing conversation around women's brain health.

MENOCOG is currently recruiting eligible women aged 45-65 Australia-wide.

Learn more or register your interest: www.menocog.com.au

04/06/2026

Still time to register! 👇🏻

There is still time to register!

📢 Workshop Announcement | Applying Co-Design Principles in Translational Research

Hosted by Genevieve Steiner-Lim & Gabriela Caballero, this hands-on 90-minute session is designed for researchers, postgraduate students, and implementation practitioners who want to move beyond theory and make inclusive co-design real in their work.

🗓 Date: 5 June 2026
🕘 Time: 9:00–10:30 AM CEST
💻 Location: Online, free to attend (places limited)
🔗 Register: https://lnkd.in/dVe6fmxP

The workshop features a deep-dive into Dementia Friends Unite - a successfully co-designed dementia education program built with and for culturally diverse people living with dementia and their families. 🌏

This workshop is delivered as part of the Baltic-German University Liaison Office Baltisch-Deutsches Hochschulkontor project "From Community Screening to Neuroimaging: Training for Early Detection of Cognitive Decline in Baltic–German Cooperation", in partnership with:

🏛 Universitätsklinikum Jena (Germany 🇩🇪 )
🏛 Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine (Lithuania 🇱🇹)
🏛 Rīga Stradiņš University (Latvia 🇱🇻)
🏛 Western Sydney University (Australia 🇦🇺)

04/06/2026

27/05/2026

Congratulations, Joelle on her first grant as lead investigator exploring the barriers and enablers of how Jiya (an AI platform to support carers of people with dementia) can be implemented into aged care.

Behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia can be complex for aged care staff to manage, highlighting the need for practical support tools that can be embedded into everyday care.

NICM’s and have been awarded a new grant to explore how digital tool Jiya can be incorporated in real-world aged care settings. The project will investigate how the tool fits into existing workflows, the factors that influence implementation, and ultimately refine the tool to best support staff caring for people living with dementia.

The research will help guide broader use of the tool, with findings that may inform future applications across residential and home caregiving settings.

22/05/2026

🧠 Did you know? People with dementia can still live meaningful lives.

There is no cure yet, but a lot can be done to support quality of life, wellbeing, independence, inclusion, activity, and social participation. Dementia-friendly communities aim to ensure that people with dementia are empowered, supported, included, and able to recognise their full potential.

More info 👉 https://lnkd.in/dmg_Gb-s

21/05/2026

🧠 Did you know? Forgetfulness does not always mean dementia.

What matters is whether changes begin to interfere with daily life, communication, judgment, or independence. Memory loss that disrupts daily life is more concerning than occasionally forgetting a name or appointment and remembering it later. If you are worried, speak to a health professional!

More info 👉 https://lnkd.in/d7uajXTM

20/05/2026

🧠 Did you know? Dementia is not only about memory loss.

The WHO and major dementia advocacy organisations all note that symptoms can include difficulty finding words, problems with daily tasks, disorientation, and mood or behaviour changes. These may appear long before any obvious memory problems. Knowing the signs can help people and families seek support earlier.

More info 👉 https://lnkd.in/dBH5_7u6

19/05/2026

🧠 Did you know? Nearly half of dementia cases may be preventable.

Almost 1 in 2 dementia cases could potentially be delayed or prevented. The 2024 Lancet Commission estimated that around 45% of dementia cases worldwide are linked to 14 modifiable risk factors across life: low education, hearing loss, high LDL cholesterol, depression, traumatic brain injury, physical inactivity, diabetes, smoking, hypertension, obesity, excessive alcohol use, social isolation, air pollution, and vision loss.

Brain health is shaped across the whole lifespan and prevention matters!

More info 👉 https://lnkd.in/dPgvbYm8