Pratishtha Chatterjee

This research focuses on advancing fluid biomarkers for improved diagnosis and management of dementia, particularly in Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and a non-Alzheimer’s disease dementia with Alzheimer’s disease-like symptoms. By studying blood protein profiles, the project aims to identify markers that can predict how quickly DLB progresses, offering a less invasive and accessible method to identify DLB patients at risk of rapid deterioration. The second part of the research investigates dementia cases with Alzheimer’s disease symptoms but lacking its defining biomarkers, aiming to characterise their unique pathology and corresponding fluid biomarkers. 

Through collaboration with global leaders in dementia research and access to large international datasets, the study seeks to validate these biomarkers and gather feedback on its findings at major scientific conferences. This work has the potential to improve early diagnosis and disease prognosis, enable personalised treatment strategies, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes and quality of life.

Dr Pratishtha Chatterjee is a Senior Research Fellow in the NHRMC Centre of Research Excellence in Enhanced Dementia Diagnosis at the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne.