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An internationally renowned leader in psychiatry and ageing at The University of Western Australia has been recognised for excellence in research with a prestigious Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Senior Research Award .

Winthrop Professor Osvaldo Almeida received his award at the 2014 College Ceremony at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The annual award was established in 1978 and recognises excellence in research in psychiatry in Australia and New Zealand. In its 35-year history, this is only the second time a Western Australian has received the award.

Professor Almeida will also delivered the keynote address: “ A systematic approach to prevent depression in later life ” on Thursday at the May 11 to 15 Perth, Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Annual Congress .

Appointed Chair of Old Age Psychiatry at UWA in 1998, Professor Almeida has developed extensive research programs designed to identify and, whenever possible, modify risk factors associated with poor mental health in later life.

He led the establishment of the Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing with geriatrician Professor Leon Flicker, and currently serves as its Director of Research. He continues to work in a clinical capacity as a consultant geriatric psychiatrist at the Royal Perth Hospital.

Professor Almeida is internationally recognised for his pioneering work on characterising the psychotic states of later life. His work contributed to the development of new guidelines for the diagnosis of psychotic states in later life.

His most recent research has focused on cardiovascular risk factors associated with depression and improvement in health outcomes for older people with depression. Professor Almeida’s work has been published extensively, including more than 200 journal articles, numerous books and book chapters.

Media references

Winthrop Professor Osvaldo Almeida (School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences) (+61 8) 9224 2720

Christianne White (WA Centre for Health and Ageing) (+61 8) 9224 2993 / (+61 4) 15 213 661

David Stacey (UWA Public Affairs) (+61 8) 6488 3229 / (+61 4) 32 637 716