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Diversity at the UK DRI: the way to better science, innovation and care

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Collaboration and connection are at the heart of how the UK DRI takes on the challenge of making breakthroughs in dementia research. Prioritising inclusivity isn’t just the right thing to do – diversity of experience, perspectives and backgrounds increase innovation and significance of research output.

World Health Organization 2020 data estimates that approximately 50 million people worldwide are living with dementia, with nearly 60% living in low- and middle-income countries. The total number is projected to reach 82 million by 2030, with most of the increase seen in the low- and middle-income countries. These numbers signify how dementia is a global problem.

Despite the statistics, dementia research is still mainly conducted in high-income countries. Understandably, these countries have the economic privilege to invest a significant amount into research. Dementia, however, is often still not a research priority even in these countries.

We learn from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic that we need worldwide collaboration to address a global problem. We have also seen how resource and knowledge sharing can expedite progress and should benefit everyone.

In their effort to defeat dementia, our researchers work with worldwide experts. Some of our researchers and their collaborations include Prof Valentina Escott-Price (Russia), Prof Paul Matthews (Singapore), Dr Sang-Eun Lee (Korea), Prof Markus Wenk (Singapore) and Dr Nathan Skene (India).


In this article, we take a closer look into three UK DRI collaborations to find out more about the benefit of research diversification.


Diversity in samples leads to better research

Prof Henrik Zetterberg from UK DRI at UCL collaborated with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on a project that was recently published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

Using techniques developed by Prof Zetterberg, the collaborators performed large-scale profiling of proteins in the blood from a Hong Kong Chinese patient cohort to develop a panel of biomarkers for screening and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

They examined if and how their cohort differs from commonly used cohorts of European descents, based on emerging evidence of ethnic differences in the composition of proteins found in the blood. Contrary to this initial hypothesis, the changes in blood proteins (measured by the biomarker test) were similar across the cohorts.

This partnership successfully validated the use of biomarkers to screen and diagnose the patient cohort, confirming the robustness of the test and its suitability for use across different racial or ethnic groups.

International collaborations give us access to a wider population of patients and samples. This improved our understanding of neurodegeneration across different populations –an important consideration when developing diagnostic tools to be used worldwide. Prof Henrik Zetterberg, UK DRI at UCL

The development of biomarkers is an important aspect of Alzheimer’s disease research as there is currently no way to detect the disease at its early stage. Current diagnosis primarily relies on the assessment of mental decline, which is only apparent at a later stage. Early diagnosis will lead to earlier intervention and better treatment.

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Diversity and inclusion drives innovation 

Prof Kei Cho from UK DRI at King’s first met Dr Hyang-Sook Hoe from Korean Brain Research Institute (KBRI) at an event he co-founded, the UK-Korea Neuroscience Symposium. During the event, Prof Cho learned about Dr Hoe’s research into the molecular mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease as well as KBRI’s animal research facility and technology platform. This prompted him to initiate a project collaboration that has also expanded into a joint PhD studentship.

These UK DRI-KBRI studentships give unique opportunities for the student to work in both institutes and learn about different cultures inside and outside the labs. Collaborations provide a great opportunity for early-career researchers to work with diverse talents, develop their careers and build a research network.

Student-sharing also requires project leads to critically assess their work to ensure the students can work efficiently as a connection between projects while developing their critical thinking. Transparency and good communication, Professor Cho remarked, are keys to international collaborations.

Prof Cho commented, 

“The Covid situation has proven that international collaborations are extremely beneficial. When we were forced to close our labs during the UK lockdown, our Korean collaborators were working as normal – they didn’t have to close their labs. This way, we never fully stopped our research, and this helped take off some burden from us.”

It is crucial, he added, that all collaborations start with a discussion on the project strategy and expected outcome. This provides an opportunity for everyone to clarify their contribution and expectations. If the direction of the project changes, he invites everyone back to discuss how this may change workload and authorship distribution.

Diversity brings better care for people

In May 2021, over 100 neurologists and neuroscientists from 14 different countries banded together to create the International Parkinson's Disease Genomics Consortium (IPDGC) Africa. Their mission is to improve the scientific understanding of Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions in Africa through education and training, clinical and genetic research, and public involvement.

The consortium is a collaboration between academic institutions in Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, UK and the USA. Dr Mie Rizig and Prof John Hardy (UK DRI Group Leader) from University College London are two main IPDGC committee members looking to convene worldwide experts to work towards global equality in Parkinson’s Disease research and care.

Like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease has been primarily researched in the White population. To address this, the consortium aims to build a collaborative intracontinental network that will establish an African-based registry of 4000 patients with Parkinson's disease to create a framework for future collaborative studies.

The Consortium will also enable capacity development through education and training. Their research network engages local communities and patient organisations to improve disease awareness, prioritising work to eliminate stigma and develop educational materials.

For the patients' information particularly, we have a panel of African reviewers and patient focus groups who are helping with developing the educational materials, checking for translation accuracy and cultural appropriateness. Dr Mie Rizig on the importance of cultural consideration

Their future work will also expand to other neurodegenerative diseases where the UK DRI will provide further funding and resources at this later stage. This collaboration will address multiple aspects, from shared research materials to training opportunities, while ensuring that the researchers learn from and give back to the community.



Article written by Annora Thoeng from UK DRI at KCL  
Article published: 14 July 2021
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