The Florey Institute has received an additional $3 million in funding from the Australian Federal Government to enhance its state-of-the-art prion detection service, aimed at combating neurological diseases caused by misfolded proteins.
One such disease is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), a rare but fatal neurodegenerative condition triggered by misfolded proteins in the brain. Despite its rarity, CJD claims the lives of approximately 50-60 individuals in Australia each year.
Detecting CJD poses a significant challenge due to its ability to remain latent within an individual for extended periods, sometimes spanning years to decades, before manifesting with devastating and ultimately fatal consequences. 
