‘At WIMR, we are taking an innovative approach to understanding and treating Alzheimer’s disease using precision medicine. We grow mini brains in a dish in the laboratory using patient’s skin cells. This allows us to understand how a person’s unique genetic makeup contributes to the disease and to tailor treatments.’
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and a rapidly growing medical crisis. All is not lost, says Dr Caitlin Finney, a neuroscientist and researcher in the Neuroinflammation Research group at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research (WIMR) where she is currently studying the role of genetic errors, or mutations, in the development of the disease. Dr Finney will share her research into Alzheimer’s using a combination of machine-learning models and stem cells turned into 3D models.
Dr Caitlin Finney completed her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience at the University of Toronto and her PhD in Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of New South Wales. She is now a postdoctoral research fellow in the Neuroinflammation Research Group at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research.
Nina Earl is a curator and science communicator at Powerhouse Museum. She has extensive experience in the design and development of interdisciplinary exhibitions, including recent exhibitions Design for Life and Eucalyptusdom.
Westmead Institute for Medical Research
176 Hawkesbury Rd
Westmead NSW 2145
We encourage visitors with accessibility requirements to contact us via book@powerhouse.com.au or (02) 9217 0222 for help in planning your visit. We accept Companion Cards.
