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Breaking ground on the new home for groundbreaking research at UCL

At the start of Dementia Action Week, we’re marking a leap forwards in the dementia revolution. We officially start work constructing what will become the future home of the UK DRI hub at UCL, where we join a wider community bringing research scientists, clinicians and people affected by neurological conditions under one roof.

Building this world-class research and treatment environment will make an unprecedented boost in our ability to tackle neurological diseases like dementia, one of our most urgent global health challenges.

Today we celebrate the start of work on a building that will centre around a shared open research environment. Collaboration is at the beating heart of the UK DRI because this is how we will make breakthroughs in finding treatments for dementia, transforming the lives of millions of people. Dr Adrian Ivinson, UK DRI Director COO

The new building will be an internationally recognised symbol of our commitment to conquering dementia. It will enable us to attract the best researchers and to provide them with an optimum environment for getting the job done.

My career has been dedicated to seeking treatments for people with dementia, and I can say this building is a true milestone on our path to a brighter future. You simply cannot underestimate the discoveries that can be made when you equip the brightest minds with the best tools, connections and facilities like here on Gray’s Inn Road. Prof Bart De Strooper, UK DRI Director

Our thanks go to our funders and the generous donors who made this building possible. ISG will construct the monumental 17,500m² state-of-the-art new neuroscience facility on Gray’s Inn Road, due to open its doors in 2024.

This flagship facility is a powerful tool in our quest to develop treatments for devastating neurological diseases. By equipping the next generation of researchers to develop cures, we hope to make conditions like dementia a thing of the past. Dr Michael Spence, UCL President & Provost

Importantly, the new site will also incorporate space to welcome people affected by dementia and the public more widely – allowing us to connect to communities and share our progress in finding better ways to diagnose, treat and prevent dementia.

To celebrate the momentous day, UCL’s President & Provost, Dr Michael Spence; Dean of the UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences, Professor Alan Thompson; Director of the Queen Square Institute of Neurology, Professor Michael Hanna; and Director COO of the UK DRI, Dr Adrian Ivinson all shared their perspectives on the development of this landmark facility, which will be home to over 500 researchers from three bodies: the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, the UK Dementia Research Institute and the University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Watch a recording of the event here.

Article published 17 May 2021