Dr Gregory Kennedy

Biography

My early background was in the areas of IT, horticulture, and teaching. However, I was inspired to change career paths after witnessing my grandparents succumb to the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease. The strong desire to play a part in efforts to alleviate the impacts of this terrible, distressing disease motivated me to return to university and study Psychology and Psychophysiology. I have since focused my research on areas which I believe contribute towards a better understanding of neurocognitive ageing and dementia, the mechanisms which underlie them, and potential methods of prevention. 

I received numerous awards during my undergraduate degree. Concurrent with my undergraduate studies, I was also employed as an RA for Alzheimer’s research at the Mental Health Research Institute, Education Officer for the Swinburne Psychology Club, and was awarded a research internship at St. Vincent’s Hospital.

For my honours research I examined the relationship between cerebral endothelial reactivity and cognitive performance. In addition to designing this study, I also oversaw the introduction and troubleshooting of new associated capnography technology and built the respiration equipment required for the project. Throughout this time, I also worked as a RA on two clinical trials and taught laboratory classes.

During my PhD I played an integral role in the conception, design, and implementation of an unfunded clinical trial of the effects of exercise and diet on cognitive ageing in older people, with my specific area of focus being the neurocognitive effects of exercise, fitness, and vascular function. Seven articles have now been published from this trial, making a total of 9 publications I have had published in high impact Tier 1 journals to date. The external connections with aged care providers that we established though this trial, as well as my redesigned cognitive battery and cardiovascular assessment methodology for on-site testing, are now being utilised in other ongoing clinical trials and student projects. In addition to my contributions to research I have also assisted with supervising several Honours students, conducted centre-wide cardiovascular assessment training, taught psychology, physiology, and psychophysiology classes, and worked as an RA on three additional clinical trials. I am also currently using my cognitive and cardiovascular expertise to collaborate with other research groups both internal and external to Swinburne, as well as coordinating the $1.7M NHMRC funded MedWalk clinical trial.

Finally, I was awarded the prestigious 2018 Alzheimer Award, selected by the editors of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease as the best article of 2017. I was the first person without a PhD, and the first from the Southern Hemisphere to win this award