Australian Dementia Research Forum | 1 – 3 June 2026
Australian Dementia Research Forum 2026
Join leading researchers, clinicians, policy makers, and lived-experience voices shaping the future of Dementia Research and Care.
Overview
Contents
SYDNEY
Days
Hours
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Welcome from the Convenor
The Australian Dementia Research Forum is the premier annual event that brings together researchers, health professionals, policy makers, and people living with dementia and their families and carers, providing a vital platform to exchange knowledge on the latest research, innovations, and best practices in dementia, care and policy.
We are pleased to announce that ADRF2026 will be held as an in-person event in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia from 1 -3 June 2026. The event, coinciding with Vivid Sydney, will take place at the Hyatt Regency, and delegates will therefore also be able to immerse themselves in the spectacle of this internationally renowned light show.
The theme for ADRF2026, Towards Healthy Brains for All: Precision, Prevention and Participation, will highlight emerging innovations and advances across the field. The Forum is a meeting place for national and international experts to share exciting developments and discoveries, foster collaboration, and challenge perceptions of living with or caring for someone with a dementia diagnosis.
Stephanie Ward
The program offers a balanced and comprehensive agenda featuring keynote presentations, symposia, panel discussions, and the highly anticipated Great Debate. Participants will gain insights into significant discoveries and developments through an exceptional line-up of six international and Australian expert speakers, invited to deliver keynote addresses at ADRF2026, covering the areas of Discovery/Basic Science, Diagnosis and Treatment, Prevention, Post-Diagnostic Care and Community Research.
Continuing Education professional development sessions, aimed at clinicians, will be offered on the morning of Wednesday June 3. These sessions will cover topics including the use of new therapeutics and diagnostics, allied health approaches and end-of-life care, and are aimed at nursing, allied health, general practitioners and specialists (including advanced trainees).
We are also delighted to announce that, for the second year running, our dementia forum will feature a Community Lecture. Scheduled for Day 3, this session is open to the wider community. We are pleased to welcome Senior Australian of the Year, Professor Henry Brodaty AO, alongside Professor Kaarin Anstey, Professor Brendan Lucey and ADNeT Director Professor Christopher Rowe, who will present on topics including healthy ageing, dementia risk reduction, sleep and maintaining cognitive wellbeing.
Register now to receive updates as ADRF2026 progresses.
We look forward to sharing our comprehensive program and outstanding line-up of speakers and welcoming you as we work together towards a future of improved understanding, better treatments, and enhanced quality of life for all those affected by dementia.
Warm regards,
Associate Professor Stephanie Ward (Conjoint)
ADRF2026 Convenor | Conjoint Associate Professor | Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing | UNSW Geriatrician | Prince of Wales Hospital Clinical Lead | Australian Dementia Network (ADNeT) Clinical Quality Registry
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Keynote Speakers
Six expert international and national speakers have been invited to deliver keynote addresses at ADRF2026, on topics covering Discovery/Basic Science, Diagnosis & Treatment, Prevention Post-Diagnostic Care and Community Research.
For a fourth consecutive year, our Continuing Professional Development sessions for medical, health and care practitioners are on offer. Topics include Prescribing Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), Insights from Community Practice, ADNeT Registry User Forum, updates in diagnosis using Blood-Based Biomarkers, Allied Health Approaches and more.
We are thrilled to announce that, for the second time, our forum will feature a Community Lecture. Held on Day 3, this allows anyone to gain accessible insights into the latest dementia research, care strategies, and support resources. Tickets are free to the public with bookings available in the coming weeks.
Australia’s dementia research leaders
Jane Alty is a Professor of Neurology at the University of Tasmania and a Neurologist at the Royal Hobart Hospital. She specialises in cognitive neurology and movement disorders. Her research investigates Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods to detect, and track, the preclinical and prodromal stages of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. She co-leads the Tasmania Parkinson’s Project of 3800 participants across Australia, the Parkinson’s MOOC which attracted about 26,000 enrolees across 160 countries, the ISLAND one-stop cognitive clinic and the BRAIN (Bringing AI into Neurology) Project.
Perminder Sachdev AM MBBS MD FRANZCP PhD FAHMS is Scientia Professor of Neuropsychiatry, Co-Director of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney, Research Director of the Neuropsychiatric Institute (NPI) at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, and Director of the Centre of Research Excellence in Vascular Contributions to Dementia. His major areas of research are drug-induced movement disorders, brain imaging, cognitive ageing and dementia, especially vascular cognitive impairment. He has published over 900 peer-reviewed journal papers and 6 books, including one for lay readers (The Yipping Tiger and other tales from the neuropsychiatric clinic) and a book of poems (A migrant’s musings). In 2011, he was appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for services to medical research. He was awarded the Ryman Prize in 2022 by an international jury for the most significant contributions world-wide toward the health of older people. In 2025, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Dementia Research Forum.
Dr Claire O’Connor is a Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration Post-doctoral Fellow, Senior Research Fellow in the School of Psychology, UNSW, a Conjoint Senior Research Fellow with NeuRA, Honorary Senior Research Fellow with HammondCare, and is also a registered occupational therapist. Claire leads a program of research focused on the translation and implementation of non-pharmacological interventions to improve dementia practice, focusing on reablement/rehabilitation, and maximising functioning, engagement and wellbeing in people living with dementia and their informal supporters. Combining her clinical training in occupational therapy and research skills, Claire is passionate about contributing to research that is meaningful to people impacted by dementia and the professionals who support them.
Leading international dementia experts
Yolande Pijnenburg, Professor of Young-Onset Dementia, is a cognitive and behavioural neurologist based in the Amsterdam University Medical Center. She leads a neuropsychiatry clinic where together with a psychiatrist, older adults with behavioural change are screened for the presence of either frontotemporal dementia or a psychiatric disorder. Over the years, her research has focussed on the differential diagnosis of FTD and diagnostic markers for FTD, whereas she created a translational research pipeline to study the genetic, pathological, and molecular underpinnings of FTD. She is involved in 2 Dutch national consortia (YOD-MOLECULAR and YOD-INCLUDED) that aim to create a young-onset-dementia diagnostic test battery and study genetic and molecular causes of young-onset dementia syndromes. Yolande Pijnenburg heads the Neuropsychiatric International Consortium of FTD (NIC-FTD) and the international right temporal variant FTD working group.
Brendan Lucey is a Professor of Neurology at Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont and his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. After completing a neurology residency at Washington University School of Medicine and a clinical neurophysiology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Dr. Lucey was on active duty in the United States Air Force. He returned to Washington University in 2012 where his research has focused on sleep, aging, and neurodegeneration with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease and he served as Head of the Sleep Medicine Section from 2016-2025. He has been funded by the NIH including a K76 Paul B. Beeson Emerging Leaders Career Development Award in Aging, the BrightFocus Foundation, the AASM Foundation, and Open Philanthropy/Good Ventures.
Professor Craig Ritchie is Founder and CEO of Scottish Brain Sciences and the Professor of Brain Health and Neurodegenerative Medicine at St Andrews University In 2015 he established the Centre for Dementia Prevention and that year took on the academic leadership role of the European Prevention of Alzheimer’s Dementia Programme. Between 2017 and 2022 he was the elected Chair of the Scottish Dementia Research Consortium and in 2020 he founded and was the inaugural Director of Brain Health Scotland. He has published over 400 papers, conference abstracts and book chapters and secured approximately €100M of grant funding.
He is a pioneer and leading advocate for the Brain Health Movement that works across the life course from primary to secondary prevention of neurodegenerative disease. This involves working at a public health and policy level as well as developing and implementing Brain Health Clinics in Scotland. He established Scottish Brain Sciences in summer 2022 to accelerate the development of both diagnostics and therapeutics for early-stage neurodegenerative disease and moved full time into the role of CEO of this company in January 2023.
Venue
Sydney Hyatt Regency Hotel
This year’s Forum will be held at the Sydney Hyatt Regency Hotel, a premier venue situated in the heart of Sydney’s vibrant Darling Harbour precinct. Overlooking the sparkling harbour and iconic city skyline, the Hyatt Regency offers a breathtaking setting that inspires creativity and connection. Guests will enjoy modern conference facilities, luxurious amenities, and easy access to Sydney’s renowned dining, cultural, and entertainment attractions—all just steps away from the venue.
The Hyatt Regency’s central location ensures seamless convenience for both local and international delegates, with excellent transport links. The venue’s panoramic harbour views and contemporary spaces create a stunning backdrop for networking, collaboration, and innovation. As the home of ADRF2026, the Sydney Hyatt Regency Hotel promises an exceptional conference experience in one of Australia’s most beautiful and dynamic cities.
Enjoy exclusive rates and the convenience of staying on-site at the Hyatt Regency Sydney, the official venue for the Australian Dementia Research Forum 2026.
Event Pricing
Registration Entitlements, Terms and Conditions
Full Forum Registration Entitlements Include:
- Morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea
- One ticket to the Welcome Drinks reception
- Conference stationery- pad, pen
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
Registration also provides access to:
- Full conference program, to all conference sessions from 1-3 June, including all plenary and concurrent sessions (Continuing Education and the Public Lecture on Day 3)
- Live Q&A sessions with speakers
- Exhibition hall and poster displays
- Discounted hotel and accommodation rates
Registration and Payment
All registration fees must be paid in full prior to attending the Forum. Payment can be made by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express) or by electronic funds transfer (EFT). Credit card payments may attract a small processing surcharge to cover transaction costs only. All prices are quoted in Australian Dollars (AUD) and include GST, unless otherwise stated.
Cancellation and Refund Policy
If you are unable to attend, you may nominate a substitute delegate at no additional cost. All cancellations or changes to the registration must be submitted in writing to the Conference Organiser, ADNeT.
Cancellations received more than 30 days prior to the conference will be eligible for a 50% refund of the registration fee. Cancellations received within 30 days of the conference are non-refundable, and any outstanding registration fees remain payable in full. No-shows will be treated as cancellations, and the above policy will apply. All approved refunds will be processed after the conclusion of the conference.
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