Brain Foundation Research

Brain Research, Neurology | Brain Foundation:

The Brain Foundation is dedicated to funding high quality Australian neurological research that will advance diagnoses, treatment and patient outcomes. This has been our mission for over 50 years, and researchers have made dozens of groundbreaking discoveries in that time in the fields of brain research and neurology research. 

Researchers can find out about the Research Gift application process here.

Researchers in South Australia are encouraged to apply for the Elizabeth Penfold Simpson Prize – closed 30th July 2020.  The next round for applications will be in 2022.

Imagine not being able to talk to people, or not understand what they’re saying because your speech centres have been affected by stroke. Or not being able to walk because of a spinal cord injury. Or not being able to feed yourself because of weakness involving your arms due to Motor Neurone Disease. These are confronting thoughts, but these are the problems that are faced by many Australians today, and it is these diseases and others that the Brain Foundation is helping to overcome through its research and support programs.

Professor Matthew Kiernan
President Brain Foundation

Since 1970 the Brain Foundation has supported hundreds of research projects throughout Australia.  Brain Foundation grants have helped to discover:

  • a new treatment for migraine based on the discovery of the relationship of a chemical transmitter serotonin to migraine
  • new surgical methods of stopping tremor and other involuntary movements
  • a serum which contains ApoE4, a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease
  • a method of detecting and correcting blood vessel spasms following strokes, injuries and operations
  • a procedure which enables brain tumours to be identified more readily and provide a check on complete removal of tumours using ultrasound
  • the location of the gene for a common form of inherited neuropathy causing weakness of the hands and legs (on chromosome 17)
  • a method of analysing the tremor of Parkinson’s disease to distinguish it from other causes of trembling
  • the gene responsible for compression paralysis in families with sensitivity of peripheral nerves to pressure.

During the past ten years, the Brain Foundation has contributed over $5,000,000 to fund research by neurologists, neurosurgeons and neuroscientists in the following areas:

  • Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia
  • Brain Tumour
  • Deafness
  • Dystonia
  • Epilepsy (affects more 45,000 Australians)
  • Head Injury
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Migraine (affects more than two million Australians)
  • Motor Neurone Disease
  • Muscle Disease
  • Muscular Dystrophy
  • Various aspects of neurosurgery
  • Parkinson’s Disease (affects more than 35,000 Australians)
  • Peripheral Nerve Disease
  • Renal failure
  • Stroke (40,000 Australians annually suffer a stroke)
  • Vertigo, balance and Meniere’s Disease.

These disorders alone affect more than 2.5 million Australians, ranging from the very young to the very old.

Read more about our funding process – click here>>

Brain Foundation grants have been awarded to researchers working in many institutions in all Australian States and Territories including:

Alfred Hospital
Australian National University
Brain and Mind Centre, NSW
Children’s Hospital at Westmead
Concord Hospital
Flinders University
Florey Neuroscience Institutes
Garvan Institute
Gosford Hospital
Griffith University
Heart Research Institute, NSW
Hornsby Hospital
Howard Florey Institute
John Hunter Hospital
Kolling Institute of Medical Research
Macquarie University
Mental Health Research Institute
Menzies Research Institute
Monash University
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
National Ageing Research Institute
Neuroscience Research Australia
New Children’s Hospital
NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre

Prince of Wales Hospital
QLD Brain Institute
Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital
Royal Children’s Hospital
Royal Hobart Hospital
Royal Melbourne Hospital
Royal North Shore Hospital
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney
St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne
Sydney Children’s Hospital
University of Adelaide
University of Melbourne
University of New South Wales
University of Newcastle
University of Queensland
University of South Australia
University of Sydney
University of Tasmania
University of Western Australia
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Victoria
Westmead Hospital

Brain FoundationThe Brain Foundation is the largest, independent funder of brain and spinal injury research in Australia. We believe research is the pathway to recovery.
PLEASE HELP US BY DONATING TO OUR RESEARCH PROGRAM.