On TRACK (Teaching, Research and Community Knowledges)
Promoting brain health with older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Our welcoming and collaborative team of highly experienced researchers is making a difference to the health and well-being of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Dementia has far reaching consequences: for the diagnosed person, their family and friends, the wider community, the service system and economy. With an ageing population and changing socioeconomic and societal patterns impacting the determinants of health, the numbers of people affected by dementia, the costs, disability and carer burdens are predicted to grow exponentially over the next 30 years. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples the picture is more challenging. Although more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are now living well to older ages, many continue to experience poor health outcomes and reduced quality of life, and experience dementia at 3-5 times the rate of other populations with a younger age of onset.
Our vision is the improved health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at risk of developing or living with dementia, together with their carers, families and communities.
The OnTRACK Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) brings together researchers and communities in a safe, collaborative space to generate research, knowledges, tools, workforce innovation and outcomes targeting the multi-layered challenges of dementia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
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About us
The OnTRACK CRE is dedicated to delivering a comprehensive program of dementia research and translation leading to evidence-based, community informed, culturally safe care and improved health and well-being outcomes.
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Research staff
OnTRACK is under the supervision of 10 Chief Investigators and 9 Associate Investigators. The CRE brings together a large network of researchers and students working in Indigenous dementia research in academic institutions across Australia and internationally.
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Community Reference Group
The Community Reference Group (CRG) is made up of Indigenous community members and experienced researchers. It upholds the principle of co-design that is integral to the CRE by ensuring that the values, practices and needs of Indigenous people, their families and communities are represented and addressed.
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Institutional Affiliations
The OnTRACK Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) has a collaborative team, working across many organisations and geographic areas.
OnTRACK Newsletters
The OnTRACK Centre of Research Excellence publishes newsletters to update our community with news from the research team, community members, research findings and feedback on how our projects are progressing.
OnTRACK Research Outputs
Theme 1
Publications
Nguyen, H. X., Bradley, K., McNamara, B. J., Watson, R., Malay, R., & LoGiudice, D. (2024). Risk, protective, and biomarkers of dementia in Indigenous peoples: a systematic review. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 20(1), 563-592. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.13458
Nguyen, H. X., Hyde, Z., McNamara, B. J., Hughson, J. A., Radford, K., Russell, S., ... & LoGiudice, D. (2024). Strength together: examining risk and protective factors associated with dementia and cognitive impairment in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through harmonisation of landmark studies. BMC neurology, 24(1), 185. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-024-03688-y
Pra, R. D., O’Brien, P., Nguyen, H. X., Luke, J., Smith, R. A., Withall, A., ... & Logiudice, D. (2024). Culturally safe and ethical biomarker and genomic research with Indigenous peoples—a scoping review. BMC global and public health, 2(1), 72. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44263-024-00102-0
Nguyen, H. X., Hyde, Z., Smith, K., Malay, R., Flicker, L., Watson, R., ... & LoGiudice, D. (2025). A prototype rapid tool to enhance detection of dementia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in primary care. International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 40(7), e70126. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.70126
Conference Presentations
Zanker, J., Hyde, Z., Bessarab, D., Bradley, K., Douglas, H., Hughson, J.-A., Nguyen, H., Malay, R., Quigley, R., Radford, K., Russell, S. G., Smith, K., Strivens, E., Flicker, L., & LoGiudice, D. (2024) Is a clock enough? The Clock Drawing Test versus the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment tool for detecting cognitive impairment in older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults. International Indigenous Dementia Research Network Conference, Hawaii, October 2024.
Nguyen, H. X., Hyde, Z., Smith, K., Malay, R., Flicker, L., Watson, R., ... & LoGiudice, D. A prototype rapid tool to enhance detection of dementia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in primary care. International Indigenous Dementia Research Network Conference, Hawaii, October 2024.
Nguyen, H. X., Hyde, Z., Smith, K., Malay, R., Flicker, L., Watson, R., ... & LoGiudice, D. A prototype rapid tool to enhance detection of dementia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in primary care. Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Meeting Annual Conference, Sydney, June 2025.
O’Brien P, Nguyen XT H, LukeJ, SmithR, RadfordK, LavrencicL, WatsonR, FlickerL, WithallA and LoGiudiceL. Developing a framework for culturally safe dementia biomarker and genetic research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. International Indigenous Dementia Research Network Conference, 2025.
Nguyen XT H, Douglas H, Luke J, Bradley K, O’Brien P, LoGiudice D. Yarning BRAIN (Biomarkers Research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for Insights into Neurodegenerative disorders). Australian Association of Gerontology Conference, Alice Springs, November 2025.
Other
Dal Pra. A Scoping Review – Components of culturally safe and ethical research with Indigenous peoples. A pathway to research autonomy. University of Melbourne Master of Public Health Thesis. 2023.
Guidelines for Culturally Safe Dementia and Biomarker Genetic Research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and Communities. Policy/Whitepaper OnTRACK. 2025.
Cognitive Assets and Risk Evaluation (CARE) Tools to Support the Detection of Dementia for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in Primary Care. PhD Thesis. 2025.
Theme 2a
Publications
Wilson, T., Temple, J., Burchill, L., Luke, J., & Logiudice, D. (2024). Evaluation of alternative methods for forecasting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Australia. Genus, 80(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41118-024-00223-2
Luke, J., Temple, J., Wilson, T., Williams, R., Taylor, S., & LoGiudice, D. (2025). Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations living with dementia: State and territory scenario‐based projections into the future. Australasian journal on ageing, 44(3), e70068. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.70068
Theme 2b
Publications
O’Brien, P., Sinclair, C., Zanker, J., Juhrmann, M., Smith, R., Thompson, S., ... & Giudice, D. L. (2025). Developing patient journey maps with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living with dementia or cognitive impairment and their carers: protocol. BMJ open, 15(5), e090672. https://doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2024-090672
Conference Presentations
Kinsley I, O’Brien P, Zanker J, Smith R, Thompson S, Juhrmann M, Lewis E, Sinclair C, Logiudice D. Advance Care Planning with First Nations Peoples: A Scoping review. Pacific Region Indigenous Doctors Congress (PRIDoC) Speaker selected from Abstract, 2024.
Kinsley I, O’Brien P, Zanker J, Smith R, Thompson S, Juhrmann M, Lewis E, Sinclair C, Logiudice D. Advance Care Planning with Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Australians and New Zealand Māori: A Scoping review. Speaker selected from Abstract. Australian Association of Gerontology Conference, 2024.
Other
Kinsey I. Advance Care Planning with Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Australians and New Zealand Māori: A Scoping review. University of New South Wales Master of Public Health Thesis. 2023.
Featured content
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Community Resources
Resources about dementia and cognitive impairment for community.
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Clinical Resources
Resources about dementia and cognitive impairment for researchers, educators and health professionals working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care.
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Policy Resources
Resources designed to address and bridge policy gaps in order to improve translational research.
Our CRE team of 10 Chief Investigators and 9 Associate Investigators come from leading universities and centres across Australia. With varied backgrounds and significant expertise in many health and related fields, we are in an ideal position to support and nurture post-graduate candidates from a range of backgrounds and in a diverse range of areas of Indigenous Health including:
o Brain Health and health promotion – dementia literacy and health communication
o Exploring culturally appropriate approaches to health communication
o Dementia risk factor reduction, prevention and diagnosis
o Developing a framework for biomarker and genomic research in Indigenous dementia
o Exploring the dementia journey with people who have multiple conditions
o Health service and workforce future planning to support improved brain health and care for people with dementia or at risk of dementia
o End of Life care and Advance Care Planning with older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People
Chief Investigators
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Dina is a highly experienced Clinician Researcher specialising in dementia and geriatrics. She has worked collaboratively in a research program with First Nations peoples for more than 15 years. She is a visiting doctor at Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (since 2010) & co-Lead investigator with Prof Dawn Bessarab OnTRACK and Good Spirit Good Life CRE (also with Dr Kate Smith).
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An Aboriginal woman of Bard (West Kimberley) and Yjindjarbandi (Pilbara) descent, Dawn is a highly regarded and experienced senior social worker and researcher. She has particular interest in applying Indigenous research and qualitative methodologies. Dawn developed the framework on yarning as an Indigenous conversation which is now widely applied across the Australian and international communities. Co-lead investigator with A/Prof LoGiudice on OnTRACK and Good Spirit Good Life CRE.
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Kate is a co-lead investigator on Good Spirit Good Life CRE. She is Research Lead/Lecturer in the Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health (CAMDH), a National Advisory Group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care member, and an active research leader; policy and service advocate focusing on older First Nations peoples health and wellbeing.
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Australia’s first Aboriginal cardiologist whose clinical leadership and research in the field of adult congenital heart disease (CHD) are recognised internationally. He is a proud member of the Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung Nations.
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Dr Kylie Radford is a clinical neuropsychologist and Senior Research Scientist leading the Aboriginal Health and Ageing Program at NeuRA. This includes the Koori Growing Old Well Study (KGOWS), a NSW epidemiological study investigating ageing and dementia in urban and regional Aboriginal communities, and a range of translational projects to support ageing well.
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Dr Withall is a Dharawal-Yuin woman, holding a combined research and teaching role in the School of Population Health, where she is Leader of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Theme. She is an expert on ageing and mental health and her research focuses on promoting wellbeing, care and cognitive health for at-risk populations. She leads a sub-stream on Ageing at the Margins in the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute.
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Roslyn Malay is a Yurriyangem Taam Kija woman from the East Kimberley region of Western Australia with expert knowledge on the complex social, environment and cultural issues that affect and influence the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal people in the Kimberley. Since 2012, she has been Project Officer at UWA Centre for Health and Ageing (WACHA) and instrumental in improving the lives and health of people in her Communities.
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Professor Leon Flicker’s research within UWA’s Medical School focuses on the major health issues of older people, exploring general heath, falls, depression and cognitive impairment. He has been part of the team working with older First Nations people for more than fifteen years.
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Prof Eddy Strivens is a practising clinician and national leader in geriatric medicine and dementia, working in Far North Queensland for over 20 years. His research interests are in Culturally Appropriate Assessment, Healthy Ageing, Integrated Care and Models of Service Delivery. He has worked extensively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities in FNQ, linking research with clinical outcomes in these communities.
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Jeromey is Associate Professor of Demography at CEPAR, and head of the Demography and Ageing Unit at the University of Melbourne (Population and Global Health). He is one of Australia’s few economic demographers and leads the Australian National Transfer Accounts (NTA) project.
Associate Investigators
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Director WA Center for Rural Health, Professor of Rural Health, University of Western Australia.
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Associate Director (Acting) Murrup Barak, Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development, University of Melbourne.
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Director of Research and Research Training, Dept of Medical Education, University of Melbourne.
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Speech Pathologist, Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania.
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Joint Laboratory Head, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medcial Research (WEHI), and clinician/researcher Royal Melbourne Hospital.
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Post-doctoral Fellow, University of NSW & adjunct Senior Research Fellow, UWA.
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Senior Project and Research Manager, Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (LIME) Network, University of Melbourne.
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Executive Director Aboriginal Health Practitioner, Top End Health Service. Adjunct Senior Clinical Research Fellow, James Cook Unviersity.
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Nephrologist Royal Darwin Hospital & early career Research Fellow at Menzies School of Health Research.
Our welcoming and collaborative team of highly experienced researchers is making a difference to the health and well-being of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Through the OnTRACK Centre of Research Excellence we have funding and capacity to support Indigenous graduate students or staff to complete higher degree research – starting in 2026. See flyer below or click here for more information!
We would love to hear from you!
Contact us if:
- You want to make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and their communities
- You’re planning a PhD (or Masters) or have an interest in the OnTRACK research program
- You want to be part of a strong, welcoming and collaborative team with great expertise
We’re open to engaging with any First Nations people who may have a background in health as well as researchers from anywhere in Australia.
If you have any queries, or would like to get in touch, please contact our project coordinator:
Penny O'Brien
0413371403
Find us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnTRACKCRE
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ontrackdementia/