Older Australians are disproportionately affected by air pollution, yet the biological mechanisms and long‑term health implications remain under‑recognised in policy and practice. This webinar features researchers whose work is reshaping our understanding of how airborne pollutants influence ageing, neurodegeneration and chronic disease.
- Professor Anthony White (QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute) is a senior neuroscientist whose research examines how environmental exposures, including airborne pollutants, contribute to brain ageing and neurodegenerative disease pathways. His recent work explores the cellular and molecular mechanisms through which pollution accelerates oxidative stress, inflammation and neurological decline.
- Zane Farnum (Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania) investigates the intersection of environmental health, life stress, and dementia risk. His recent work focuses on identifying the cellular and molecular mechanisms through which smoke pollution impacts the brain, using protein mass spectrometry and complementary assays to uncover how environmental exposures alter key biological pathways, with a particular emphasis on vulnerable populations.
The speakers will unpack the emerging science linking air quality and ageing, highlight the implications for public health and aged‑care systems, and outline the research and policy actions needed to protect older Australians from preventable harm