Researcher

Dr Moyra Mortby

Keywords

dementia

alzheimer's disease

behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia

mild behavioral impairment

advanced dementia

aged care

ageing carers

mild cognitive impairment

cognitive assessment

Fields of Research (FoR)

Developmental Psychology and Ageing, Geriatrics and Gerontology, Mental Health, Epidemiology, Public Health and Health Services

SEO tags

Neurodegenerative Disorders Related to Ageing

Ageing and Older People

Behaviour and Health

Biography

Dr Mortby is a senior research fellow in the School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, UNSW. She holds a conjoint appointment with Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and is an Associate Investigator of the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute.

Dr Mortby was awarded her PhD with Laudatio Magna Cum Laude from the University of Zurich, Switzerland (2012). During her post-doctoral research, she retrained in advanced neuroimaging techniques to...view more

Dr Mortby is a senior research fellow in the School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, UNSW. She holds a conjoint appointment with Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and is an Associate Investigator of the UNSW Ageing Futures Institute.

Dr Mortby was awarded her PhD with Laudatio Magna Cum Laude from the University of Zurich, Switzerland (2012). During her post-doctoral research, she retrained in advanced neuroimaging techniques to complement her research skills in psychology. She is the current funded by a Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration Mid-Career Research Fellowship (Dementia Australia Research Foundation) and previously held an NHMRC-ARC Dementia Research Development Fellowship and an Alzheimer's Australia Dementia Research Foundation Post-doctoral Fellowship.

Dr Mortby is the recipient of the 2015 New Investigator Award for demonstrated research commitment to the field of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in dementia by the Neuropsychiatric Syndromes in Neurocognitive Disorders, a Professional Interest Areas (NPS PIA) of ISTAART (the US Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment). She currently serves as the elected Chair of the executive committee of the NPS PIA of ISTAART and as the Chair of its Apathy Working Group. She is also the inaugural co-Chair of the International Society for CNS Clinical Trials and Methodology (ISCTM) Strategies to Improve Recruitment for Clinical Trials Targeting Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Memory Disorders Working Group.

My Grants

2023-2025: Dementia Australia Research Foundation – Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration Mid-Career Research Fellowship ‘Understanding Neuropsychiatric Symptoms to inform timely diagnosis, patient management and lived experience of dementia’. Fellowship CI: Moyra Mortby
2023: UNSW Ageing Futures Instiute Seed Grant ‘Humour and Healthy Ageing (HaHA): Exploring the relationship between humour styles, psychological wellbeing, and cognitive health in older adults’ CI’s: Nikki-Ann Wilson (Chief Investigator; ECR), Kaarin Anstey, Jill Bennett, Moyra Mortby
2021: RM Gibbson Program ‘Improvisation Engagement and Dementia (ImprovED): A Theatre Program to Enhance Quality of Life in Older Adults with Cognitive Decline’ CI’s: Nikki-Ann Wilson (Chief Investigator; ECR), Kaarin Anstey, Moyra Mortby
2019: UNSW Ageing Futures Institute Small Project Award 'Lifeline Collaboration: Understanding Dementia Literacy amongst Lifeline Volunteers' CI’s: Moyra Mortby, Kaarin Anstey, Ruth Peters, Gail Kenning, Adrienne Withall
2016-2019: NHMRC-ARC Research Development Dementia Fellowship 'BPSD-CARE: A person-centred approach to managing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in residential care (re-named BPSD^PLUS Program)'. Fellowship CI: Moyra Mortby
2015: Dementia Collaborative Research Centres 'Attitudes toward people with dementia - a nationally representative survey of 1000 Australians' CI’s: Sarang Kim, Kaarin Anstey, Moyra Mortby
2014-2015: Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation Part Postdoctoral Fellowship 'Apathy in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Clinically Normal Elderly: a biomarker of and risk factor for brain structure, cognitive trajectories and apathetic symptom progression?'. Fellowship CI: Moyra Mortby
2014-2016: Alzheimer’s Australia Dementia Research Foundation Hazel Hawke Research Grant in Dementia Care 'Carer Characteristics and Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms: a Pilot Study' CI’s: Moyra Mortby, Kaarin Anstey, Elizabeth Beattie, Kerry Sargent-Cox, Nicholas Cherbuin, Richard Burns, Lyndsay Ryan (USA)

2014: Dementia Collaborative Research Centres 'Carer Characteristics and Care-recipient Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia' CI’s: Moyra Mortby, Kaarin Anstey, Elizabeth Beattie, Kerry Sargent-Cox, Nicholas Cherbuin, Richard Burns, Lyndsay Ryan (USA)
2012: Dementia Collaborative Research Centres 'Stroke, Depression and Cognitive Decline'. CI’s: Nicholas Cherbuin, Leean Carey, Moyra Mortby, Kaarin Anstey

My Qualifications

PhD in Psychology, University of Zurich, Switzerland. Laudatio: Magna Cum Laude, 2012
MSc in Psychologicial Research Methods, Keele University, United Kingdom, 2007
BSc in Criminology and Psychology (Dual Honours), Keele University, United Kingdom, 2006

My Awards

2016: Alzheimer's Australia ACT Dementia Champion.

2015: New Investigator Award for demonstrated research commitment to the field of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in dementia by the Neuropsychiatric Syndromes in Neurocognitive Disorders, a Professional Interest Areas (NPS PIA) of ISTAART (the US Alzheimer’s Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment).

2015: Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) Travel Fellowship.

2012: Australian National University Vice-Chancellor Travel Grant.

2009: Society for the Study of Human Development Conference Registration Award.

2009: University of Zurich Fakultäres Mentoring Auslands-Kurz-Mentorate and der Philosophischen Fakultät.

2009: University of Michigan International Max Planck Research School on the Life Course University of Michigan Research Stay Grant.

My Research Activities

Dr Mortby leads an internationally respected and impactful research program on neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) and Mild Behavioural Impairment (MBI). Her program utilises a mixture of clinical and epidemiological research, including cross-sectional, longitudinal and neuroimaging methods. She established and leads the NPS/MBI research focus in the longitudinal PATH Through Life Study and developed and ran a successful person-centred training and intervention study targeting NPS in residential aged care. Her research directly informed the global paradigm shift recognising the importance of NPS/MBI as a non-cognitive aspect of dementia and an early clinical marker. Her program provided the first prevalence estimates of MBI in Australia and her MBI operationalisation matrix is used internationally in clinical and population-based studies. She also co-developed the MBI Checklist, a case ascertainment tool since translated into >20 languages, as well as novel diagnostic criteria for apathy.