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New EPSRC award for UK DRI to develop non-invasive deep brain stimulation technology

A team of researchers, led by Group Leader Dr Nir Grossman, UK DRI at Imperial College London, have been awarded a Transformative Healthcare Technologies Award from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). These funds will help with development and testing of non-invasive electrical deep brain stimulation technology, a potentially new and innovative way to treat Alzheimer’s disease.

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World Alzheimer’s Month 2021 at the UK DRI

September is World Alzheimer’s Month, a chance to shine a spotlight on this devastating condition and other neurodegenerative diseases that lead to dementia. Throughout the month, we’ll be highlighting the ground-breaking research and initiatives being undertaken by dementia scientists, discovering how they’re uncovering more about the fundamental causes and, most importantly, unlocking the knowledge to develop much-needed treatments.

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#WhyWeResearch: Help us celebrate dementia research this World Alzheimer’s Day

September 2021 marks the 10th year of World Alzheimer’s Month – an international campaign co-ordinated by Alzheimer’s Disease International to raise awareness around the diseases that cause dementia. This year, we want to shine a spotlight on all the brilliant research taking place across the UK and learn a bit more about the people behind it.

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UK DRI at Cambridge and UCL unite to find new therapeutic avenues for Huntington's disease

A new mechanism that stops the progression of Huntington’s disease in cells has been identified by researchers working together from two UK DRI Centres at UCL and Cambridge. Researchers say the breakthrough study, published in Cell Reports, could lead to much needed therapies for the rare genetic disease, which is currently incurable.

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Cognitive deficits observed following Covid-19 infection

Published in the scientific journal EClinicalMedicine, the study involving over 80,000 individuals provides evidence of acute problems with thinking and attention in people who have recovered from Covid-19. Supported by the UK DRI and led by Dr Adam Hampshire, UK DRI Associate member based at Imperial College London, the findings suggest more severe Covid-19 symptoms lead to lower scores achieved on a series of online tests, with performance on reasoning and problem-solving tasks being most affected.

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Weakening connections: new molecular mechanism discovered behind loss of synapses during neurodegenerative disease

A team of researchers led by Prof Kei Cho, Group Leader from UK DRI at King’s, has uncovered a new molecular mechanism behind the weakening of synapses and neuronal dysfunction in tauopathies. The findings, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, provide new insight into the cascade of pathological events initiated by harmful tau hyperphosphorylation, and point to possible new treatments for several neurodegenerative diseases.

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Supporting people living with rare dementias: in conversation with Prof Nick Fox

Whilst the most common diseases that cause dementia, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, are well recognised, there is less recognition of, and support for, rare dementias. Prof Nick Fox, director of the Dementia Research Centre and UK DRI Group Leader at UCL, talks to us about the challenges faced by people living with rare dementias, the importance of Rare Dementia Support and the future of research into these conditions.

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Professional rugby may be associated with changes in brain structure

A new study shows that participation in elite adult rugby may be associated with changes in brain structure. The research was published today (22 July 2021) in Brain Communications, by senior author Prof David Sharp, Centre Director of UK DRI Care Research & Technology, and colleagues at Imperial and UCL.

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Largest study to date measures impact of pandemic and first lockdown on mental health and wellbeing in UK

The largest study of its kind ever conducted on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown in the UK reveals wide-ranging positive and negative effects on the population’s mental health and wellbeing. Published today (16 July) in Nature Communications, the findings help identify those that may be most at risk, and benefits that could be carried forward as the country emerges from the pandemic.

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

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

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“The possibility that you could treat someone with gene editing is incredibly exciting”: in conversation with Prof Vincent Dion

As we start to see treatments emerge for dementia, we expect the effects to be quite modest at first. It would typically take further years or decades of therapeutic development to bring larger benefits and something more resembling a 'cure'. However, with recent breakthroughs in genetic technology, a more permanent solution may not seem so far off for some neurodegenerative diseases. To learn more, we spoke to Prof Vincent Dion, Group Leader from UK DRI at Cardiff and DNA repair theme Lead, whose work into gene editing is at the cutting-edge of the search for therapeutics.

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New study launched to investigate traumatic brain injury in armed forces personnel

Prof David Sharp, Centre Director at the UK DRI Care Research & Technology Centre based at Imperial College London and University of Surrey, has been awarded a five-year grant to investigate the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in battlefield casualties from the UK Armed Forces. The TBI project aims to improve understanding of the relationship between environmental factors, such as TBI, and long-term neurological outcomes.

Muna Therapeutics launches: UK DRI Director will Chair the Scientific Board of new company developing small molecule therapies for neurodegenerative diseases

Congratulations to UK DRI Director Bart De Strooper for being part of the team behind the new €60m company Muna Therapeutics, which aims to develop small molecules to repair neuronal dysfunction and resolve neuroinflammation. Muna is focused on addressing the staggering unmet need experienced by people affected by dementia around the world. Muna means ‘to remember’ in Old Norse.

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Life Sciences Vision: UK government to accelerate the pace of studies into novel dementia treatments

The UK Dementia Research Institute applauds the government’s new Life Sciences Vision and the role that life sciences research will play in the future of the UK. With a foreword from Prime Minister Rt Hon Boris Johnson, the Office for Life Sciences today released a new 10-year plan that outlines seven critical healthcare aims that government, industry, the NHS, academia and medical research charities must address together, including ‘improving translational capabilities in neurodegeneration and dementia’ to bring treatments to the clinic faster.

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Gut microbes linked to formation of new neurons in adult brain

A team of researchers have discovered a new biological link connecting gut microbes with the creation of new neurons in the adult brain. The findings highlight the importance of gut-to-brain communication and present a new avenue to explore in the search for dementia treatments.

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Prof Chris Shaw to step down as Centre Director at UK DRI at King’s

Prof Chris Shaw will be stepping down as Director for the UK DRI’s Centre at King’s College London, but will remain a Group Leader to continue his programme of research. The search has now begun for a replacement who will also be appointed as van Geest Professor of Neurodegeneration Research.

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UK DRI becomes Founding Supporter of the British Neuroscience Association's initiatives for equity, diversity and inclusion in neuroscience

The UK DRI has today become a Founding Supporter of the British Neuroscience Association’s (BNA) initiatives for equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). We join seven other organisations in the neuroscience sector in our strong commitment to ensure fair representation in research and development.

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Prof Paul Elliott, UK DRI at Imperial, awarded CBE in Queen’s Birthday Honours

Prof Paul Elliott, Group Leader from UK DRI at Imperial, has been awarded the prestigious Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the latest Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Prof Elliott is recognised for his services to scientific research in public health, including his vital role in the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Landmark decision by FDA as Aduhelm (aducanumab) is approved for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

A significant milestone has been reached as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has today approved aducanumab for the treatment of Alzheimer's. The monoclonal antibody is the first disease-modifying therapy for the disease, offering hope for the millions of people worldwide affected by the condition. UK DRI Director, Prof Bart De Strooper, comments on the announcement.

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UK's recommended alcohol limits still affect multiple organs find researchers from UK DRI at Imperial

A new study from researchers at UK DRI at Imperial has shown that even low alcohol consumption is associated with structural changes in multiple organ systems including the brain, heart and liver. The findings suggest a possible relationship between alcohol and diseases such as Alzheimer’s, say the authors, who also urge that current guidelines on drinking alcohol need to be revisited.