Top five brain centre opens in Melbourne

28 June 2011

The first facility of one of the world's largest dedicated brain research centres has been opened by state and federal representatives at the Austin campus of the Melbourne Brain Centre.

The Melbourne Brain Centre is a key research facility for Victoria, contributing to the state’s reputation as an internationally competitive research location.

The new Austin facility will provide an environment for research into major illnesses such as stroke and epilepsy, as well as the development of the next generation of medical imaging technologies for the brain.

The science, clinical activity and public health research in neurosciences will now be carried out in a dedicated centre equipped with the latest technologies.

The Austin campus, combined with a major new facility at The University of Melbourne's Parkville campus due to open later this year, will enable the Melbourne Brain Centre to enhance its claim as the fifth ranked leading neuroscience research cluster worldwide.

Key discoveries by Melbourne Brain Centre researchers in recent years include new treatments for Alzheimer's disease, the discovery of genes linked to Multiple Sclerosis, and novel technologies for monitoring patients with Parkinson's disease.