David John Ames (born 1954) is an Australian psychiatrist and academic. In addition to being Emeritus Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Melbourne, he is a part-time consultant psychiatrist at a number of hospitals in Melbourne, a professorial fellow with The National Ageing Research Institute and a research fellow at the Howard Florey Institute. Over his career, Ames has written over 56 book chapters, edited 22 books, and has published over 300 articles in peer-reviewed journals. Ames' main research and clinical interests have been the detection and management of Alzheimer's disease (AD), new therapies for AD, and the care of the depressed elderly. In 2018, Ames was made an Officer of the General Division of the Order of Australia (AO) in the

2018 Australia Day Honours The 2018 Australia Day Honours are appointments to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 2018 by the Governor General of Australia, Sir Peter Cosgrove. The Aus ...

, for distinguished service to psychiatry, particularly in the area of dementia and the mental health of older persons, as an academic, author and practitioner, and as an adviser to professional bodies.

Education

Ames graduated with honours in Medicine and

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Obstetrics and Gynaecology (also spelled as Obstetrics and Gynecology; abbreviated as Obs and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and t ...

( MBBS) in 1978 from the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb no ...

, where he was awarded the Upjohn prize for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. After completing his

internship An internship is a period of work experience offered by an organization for a limited period of time. Once confined to medical graduates, internship is used practice for a wide range of placements in businesses, non-profit organizations and gover ...

and junior resident medical officer experience at the

Royal Melbourne Hospital The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH), located in Parkville, Victoria, an inner suburb of Melbourne, is one of Australia's leading public hospitals. It is a major teaching hospital for tertiary health care with a reputation in clinical research. Th ...

between 1979–1981, Ames trained in

psychiatry Psychiatry is the specialty (medicine), medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behaviour, cognition, and perceptions. See glossary of psych ...

at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Moving to London in 1984 he continued his training in psychiatry at the Friern Hospital. In 1985 Ames was appointed to a position as an honorary lecturer and

research fellow A research fellow is an academic research position at a university or a similar research institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. A research fellow may act either as an independent investigator or under the supervision of a pr ...

at the Royal Free Hospital. After returning to Melbourne, Ames continued his educational pursuits at the University of Melbourne. In 1989 he then completed his

doctoral thesis A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...

on '' "depression in residential homes for the elderly"'' obtaining his

Doctor of Medicine Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated M.D., from the Latin ''Medicinae Doctor'') is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the M.D. denotes a professional degree. T ...

(MD) in 1987. In 1993 he also completed a part-time

Bachelor of Arts Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four year ...

(BA) with a major in (Medieval) history.

Works

AIBL study

Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Study of Ageing, started in 2006, is a study of over 1,100 people assessed over a long period of time ( > 4.5 years) to determine which biomarkers, cognitive characteristics, and health and lifestyle factors determine subsequent development of symptomatic Alzheimer's Disease. With Australia's ageing population, the number of people suffering from dementia is expected to rise from 245,400 (1.1% of population) in 2009 to 1.13 million (3.2% of projected population) by 2050. It is one of the fastest growing sources of major disease burden, overtaking coronary heart disease in total well being cost by 2023.

Selected books authored and edited

* * * * * *

Awards and honors

*Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia (2018) *College Citation from Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (2017) *Recipient, Certificate of Outstanding Teaching, Joint Master of Psychological Medicine and Master of Psychiatry (2012) *Fellow of the Australian Association of Gerontology (2001) *Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (1997) *Fellow of the

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) is the principal organisation representing the medical specialty of psychiatry in Australia and New Zealand and has responsibility for training, examining and awarding the qual ...

(1989) *Upjohn prize for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1978)

References

External links

Presentations

* 2016 – University of Melbourne – New(ish) developments in dementia treatments �
Presentation
* 2014 – NARI Annual Seminar – The Underlying causes of most dementia �
Presentation Part 1Part 1bPart 2
* 2011 – University of New Mexico Lecture – Alzheimer's Disease: Why it Matters to All of Us �
Video
* 2008 – University of Melbourne – Alzheimer's Disease: Predictors and Early Intervention �
Audio

Related websites

Australian Imaging, Biomarker & Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ames, David Australian medical researchers Australia Prize recipients Living people Officers of the Order of Australia Psychiatrists from Melbourne University of Melbourne alumni Academic staff of the University of Melbourne 1954 births