Dunedin

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Welcome to the Dunedin Dementia Prevention Research Clinic (Dunedin Clinic)

The Dunedin Clinic is based at Dunedin Hospital in central Dunedin.

Led by Dr Nick Cutfield, the Dunedin Clinic is run collaboratively between researchers from Brain Research New Zealand and health professionals at the Dunedin District Health Board.

Research volunteers who join the study, will undergo a series of assessments over time, allowing our researchers to look for early indicators of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, and to develop innovative ways to detect these diseases at a very early stage.

Download our Information Leaflet to find out more about our study.

How to Find Us
The Dunedin Clinic is located on Level 2 of Dunedin Hospital, at 201 Great King Street. If you have an appointment at the Dunedin Clinic, please report to Reception on the ground floor. From there, our Research Nurse will meet you and take you to the clinic.

Please click here for our full contact details, or find us using the map below.

MEET THE TEAM

Dr Nick Cutfield
DUNEDIN CLINIC DIRECTOR, NEUROLOGIST
Dr Nick Cutfield, MBChB, FRACP, MD(RES) University of Otago
Dr Nick Cutfield leads the Dunedin Dementia Research Clinic. He is a Clinical Senior Lecturer in the Department of Medicine, at the University of Otago and Consultant Neurologist and Clinical Lead at Dunedin Hospital. Nick is also the Clinical Deputy Director of the Brain Health Research Centre. Nick’s research interests include Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, vestibular disorders and brain imaging.
Annabel Dawson
NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST
Annabel Dawson, MPH University of Otago
Annabel Dawson is a registered Clinical Psychologist. Her main role at the Dunedin Clinic is to conduct neuropsychological assessments with study participants, and to provide feedback regarding their results. Annabel has worked predominantly in the field of Mental Health for Older People (Greenlane Hospital Auckland) and more recently the Neurology Outpatient Department (Dunedin Hospital). She previously worked for many years as the primary psychologist at the Auckland City Memory Clinic, where the focus was assessing patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment. Her current role at the Neurology department involves completing neuropsychological assessments on adults with concerns about their cognitive functioning.
Debra McNamara
CLINICAL RESEARCH NURSE
Debra McNamara University of Otago
Debra McNamara is a clinical research nurse. She has been working in research roles for the University of Otago for the past twelve years in Rheumatology and joined the Neurology research team in 2017. In her role in the Dunedin Clinic, Debra is responsible for co-ordinating the day-to-day organisation of the clinic. She recruits participants into the study and sees them at their clinic appointments. She informs participants and their families about the aims of our research and what they can expect from being involved in our study. Debra also collects study data and blood samples from study participants, manages the database and communications.
Dr Joanna Williams
DEMENTIA PREVENTION RESEARCH CLINIC BIOBANK
Dr Joanna Williams, BSc MSc PhD University of Otago
Dr Joanna Williams is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Anatomy at the University of Otago. Having trained as a molecular neurobiologist, Joanna co-leads the development of the Dementia Prevention Research Clinics’ biobank with Dr Erin Cawston in Auckland. She will be concentrating on using DPRC biobank samples to develop a clinical tool that correctly identifies Alzheimer-specific biomarkers.
Tina Edgar
RESEARCH TECHNICIAN
Tina Edgar, Certificate of Science in Biochemistry and Microbiology University of Otago
Tina Edgar is a senior research technician in the Department of Biochemistry Department at the University of Otago, where she has worked for over thirty years. With a New Zealand Certificate of Science in Biochemistry and Microbiology, Tina’s role in the Dunedin Clinic is to process blood samples into the different fractions which will be used for further research. Her experience working in this capacity started several years ago when she processed blood for a large Parkinson’s study and has continued with her own research group working on myalgic encephalomyelitis /chronic fatigue.​