Professor Brian Draper

Professor Brian Draper has research interests in clinical aspects of mental health problems in old age. Professor Draper's main focus is dementia including NHMRC funded studies of young onset dementia (INSPIRED Study), dementia in acute hospitals (Hospital Dementia Services Project), cognitive and mental disorders in older Aboriginal Australians (Koori Growing Old Well Study), behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (PARO study), carer stress and mild cognitive impairment (Sydney Memory and Ageing Study). Professor Draper collaborates with a range of institutions around Australia including Griffith University, the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare, University of Sydney, Macquarie University, University of Technology Sydney and Monash University. A secondary area of interest is suicidal behaviour in late life with collaborative work funded by ARC and NHMRC being undertaken with colleagues around Australia and internationally.

Professor Draper is on the research advisory committee for the LifeSpan project of suicide prevention being run by the Black Dog Institute. I have a particular interest in ethical issues of end of life care and am a member of the Palliative Care Clinical Studies Collaborative with particular involvement as a CI on a NHMRC funded study of the antipsychotic treatment of delirium in palliative care. Professor Draper has also been undertaking research and clinical collaborations examining drug & alcohol issues in late life including their comorbidity (cognitive disorders, mood disorders, suicidal behaviour).