We have a clearly defined vision at the UK DRI to develop effective therapeutics, diagnostics and technologies for people living with dementia. Alongside building our disease knowledge over the coming years, we will also make progress in translating these discoveries into the clinic.
At UK DRI HQ, we have a dedicated innovation and business team led by Dr Kay Penicud, who supports translation and commercialisation activities such as strategic collaborations with industry partners, intellectual property identification and protection, spin-out formation, licensing deals, proof of concept studies, and early-stage clinical trials.
Discover more about our translational work in the UK DRI digital brochure
Our approach to translation and innovation
The structure of UK DRI - seven research centres hosted by world-leading universities across the UK – and our emphasis on highly collaborative research are key strengths of the Institute which offer significant advantanges to our scientists and external partners.
Many of our 750+ researchers are new to dementia but bring unique skills and perspectives to the field. We harness this multidisciplinarity and activitely encourage the sharing of expertise through collaborative projects. This approach has unlocked new thinking in dementia research and led to exciting projects that will bring us closer to much-needed effective therapies.
To ensure promising findings are rapidly acted upon and given the best chance of reaching the clinic, we have established vital agreements that allow us to act as a single point of access to multiple university and industrial partners. Partnerships are a key part of our translation vision, and we work with a range of industry partners, investors, and NHS trusts.
Find out how we’re building a culture of translation in this Q&A with Dr Kay Penicud
Partnership success
Our approach has already led to several strategic partnerships across the Institute, bringing new interest and investment to tackling dementia.
