Professor Leon Flicker
Director
leon.flicker@uwa.edu.au
Professor Leon Flicker is WACHA's director. He leads a productive research centre aimed at cutting edge translational issues focusing on the health needs of older people. Professor Flicker's major research interests have been the general health of older people, including bone and mineral metabolism, cognition, mobility and falls.
His research highlights included:
- Demonstrated that the majority of the variation in bone density in older women is under genetic influence but despite the strong genetic influence on bone density and hip geometry in older people, these genetic factors accounted for less than a quarter of the effect of family history.
- Demonstrating that vitamin D supplementation reduced fall rates by 30% in residential care facilities
- That smoking is a risk factor for dementia and that older smokers exhibit structural brain changes very similar to those people with early Alzheimer's Disease
- Exploring the association between biological factors (e.g. CRP, testosterone), lifestyle factors against the outcomes of cognition and depression in men's mental health
- Addressing the health needs of older Indigenous Australians
He is a member of numerous national committees and organisations. Professor Flicker has played a major role in implementing his own and others research outcomes into clinical guidelines regarding functional decline, delirium, redesign of the hospital environment (the Aged Friendly Hospital) and many others.
