DEVELOPING UPPER LIMB MOTOR BIOMARKERS OF DEMENTIA
With
Kaylee Rudd,
Junior Research Fellow,
Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre
University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia | February 2026
Kaylee is currently a research fellow with the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre at the University of Tasmania. She has recently submitted her PhD thesis, reporting the findings of her research on developing upper limb motor biomarkers of dementia. She has postgrad degrees in physiotherapy and experience working in the community and aged care across Tasmania for several years, where she worked with people with dementia.
Her experience underlined the importance of detecting cognitive impairment early and prompted her to join the Wicking to research dementia in 2021. Her research aims to better understand how movement is associated with cognition and to identify potential hand motor tests to help detect those at risk of developing cognitive impairment early.
One of the main highlights of her research experience has been close and regular collaboration with participants and team members of the ISLAND Clinic and the Tasmanian ISLAND Project.
Currently she coordinates the TapTalk project, a multi-level RHHRF funded project, which aims to develop a non-invasive screening test to detect risk of Alzheimer’s disease pathology.
Kaylee also contributes to national and international research projects. Examples are her work with the multisite Australian Dementia Network (ADNeT) study investigating the impact of blood-based biomarkers knowledge on clinician’s diagnostic confidence, and her ongoing collaboration with the AI-assisted motor biomarkers team in the University of Leeds, UK.
Collaborations and funding from
- Wicking Dementia research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania
- Royal Hobart Hospital, Tasmanian Health Service
- Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation (RHHRF)
Source: Supplied and adapted
You Might also like
-
Blister management and impact on firefighters
David Burns, a Senior Paramedic with LifeAid, a private paramedicine company in Victoria and, has a diverse background in healthcare. He began his career as a registered nurse, progressing to critical care nursing specialising in liver transplants and cardiovascular surgery.
At the Australasian College of Paramedicine International Conference, David presented research focused on the foot care of firefighters during prolonged bushfire campaigns. During the 2019-2020 bushfires, over 10,000 firefighters sought care, with nearly 50% requiring attention for foot-related issues. David emphasised that inadequate foot care could bench firefighters for up to 10 days, diminishing their ability to protect communities and critical infrastructure. Recognising the economic benefits of prioritising firefighter health, David advocates that ensuring their well-being allows communities to recover effectively and enhances safety for all involved in firefighting efforts.
-
World-first clinical trial improves patient outcomes for kidney transplants (2023)
A world-first clinical trial conducted at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) and at hospitals across Australia and New Zealand has identified the best fluid treatment to reduce the risk of patients requiring dialysis after a kidney transplant.
Around one in three people who receive a kidney transplant suffer delayed graft function, which means the transplant doesn’t work immediately and they require dialysis.
The lead-author of the study, was Royal Adelaide Hospital Nephrologist and University of Adelaide researcher, Dr Michael Collins.
-
Lymphoma, Myeloma and Genomics
Professor Dipti Talaulikar is a clinical and laboratory haematologist with expertise in genomics, working at Canberra Health Services, and Professor at ANU. She has a clinical and research interest in lymphoma, myeloma and genomics, and has authored close to 100 peer reviewed papers, including several clinical guidelines that have had a significant impact on clinical practice.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8073-8691