At the 2025 Australian Dementia Research Forum, Professor Perminder Sachdev, Co-Director of the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), was recognised for his unwavering commitment to dementia research. This prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award celebrates a career spanning over 35 years and a body of work that has advanced scientific understanding and deeply impacted the lives of people living with dementia.
"I see this award not as a conclusion, but as a reminder of the work that still lies ahead, and of how far we must continue to go."
Professor Sachdev's journey in dementia research began in 1997 with a pioneering study on post-stroke dementia. Since then, vascular cognitive impairment and dementia have remained at the core of his investigations.
Professor Sachdev said he was deeply honoured to receive this Lifetime Achievement Award.
"It is both humbling and gratifying to be recognised for work that has been not only a professional calling but also a personal passion."
Over the decades, Professor Sachdev has collaborated with colleagues around the world, publishing over 1,000 peer-reviewed journal articles. He has authored eight books-including The Yipping Tiger and Other Tales from the Neuropsychiatric Clinic, a collection of stories for lay readers-and co-edited Secondary Schizophrenia along with two other volumes. His Google Scholar profile (as of July 2023) boasts an h-index of 148 and over 114,000 citations, underscoring the breadth and impact of his research. In addition to his scientific writing, he has shared his poetic side through his published collection, A Migrant's Musings and Other Offerings to an Adopted Land.
Currently, Professor Sachdev serves as a Scientia Professor of Neuropsychiatry at UNSW Sydney, Clinical Director of the Neuropsychiatric Institute at the Prince of Wales Hospital, and Deputy Chair of the Australian Dementia Network (ADNeT). After graduating from the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi and completing his MD in Psychiatry, he migrated first to New Zealand and then to Australia. His early career culminated in a PhD at UNSW in 1991, and he later went on to lead the Neuropsychiatric Institute, solidifying his role as a leader in the field.
One of his most influential contributions has been establishing international consortia to investigate the epidemiology of dementia. These collaborations have transformed how researchers approach the disease globally, reevaluating risk and protective factors for dementia and informing three prevention trials targeting lifestyle factors and a repurposed drug for dementia prevention.
Over the years, I've devoted much of my energy to longitudinal studies of cognitive ageing and dementia and to advancing a global epidemiology of dementia-its risk factors, early biomarkers, and most importantly, its prevention.
Professor Perminder Sachdev
The impact of Professor Sachdev's research extends well beyond Australia. In 2022, the World Health Organization invited him to spearhead the development of a Dementia Research Blueprint-a global initiative aimed at making dementia research an international priority.
Unable to attend the forum in person, Professor Sachdev took the opportunity to thank those who have supported him throughout his career:
"I owe enormous gratitude to the many collaborators, colleagues, students, and above all, research participants and their families, who have so generously shared their time and experiences."
He also acknowledged one particularly steadfast colleague: "I would like to especially acknowledge one colleague, Professor Henry Brodaty-last year's recipient of this award, who has been a steadfast partner in my dementia research journey. Together, we are proud to have co-founded the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing at UNSW in 2012."
He further credited the Australian Dementia Network and his family for their invaluable support:
"I also want to acknowledge the support of Australian Dementia Network, which has played a pivotal role in advancing my work in recent years. And most of all, I thank my family for their unwavering support, and in particular my wife, Jagdeep, whose encouragement and understanding have sustained me through the decades."
The award was presented by Convenor of the 2025 Forum, Professor Ralph Martins, who warmly congratulated Perminder on his extraordinary career and lasting impact on the field.
"His contributions have been recognised through numerous honours, including the Order of Australia (AM) in 2011, the Founders' Medal from the Australian Society of Psychiatric Research, and the International Distinguished Fellowship from the American Psychiatric Association. In 2022, he received the Ryman Prize, presented by them New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern, for his truly unique contribution to the understanding of ageing and dementia. Most recently, in 2024, he was awarded the Lishman Oration by the International Neuropsychiatric Association.
Professor Sachdev's legacy is one of tireless curiosity, compassionate care, and a global vision for healthier brain ageing. His dedication continues to inspire the next generation of researchers and clinicians, and this recognition is a fitting tribute to a lifetime of impact.
