Transforming dementia research

The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) has officially opened its centre at King’s College London to bring together world-leading expertise in biomedical care and translational research to improve care for people with dementia.

UK DRITo mark the opening, the new institute held a two-day symposium on 18 February which saw scientists and researchers showcase new research which is furthering insight into dementia.

Working as part of King’s Health Partners Neuroscience, the UK DRI at King’s College London will accelerate discoveries to prevent, treat and care for people with all types of dementia, and help us understand ways to keep the brain healthy. The institute is based in the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute on the Denmark Hill Campus.

To be accredited as a UK Dementia Research Institute hub, King’s College London had to bid against other competitors showcasing world-leading skills and innovative research that would build upon, and connect, to the strong dementia research landscape that already exists across the UK.

Led by Professor Chris Shaw, UK DRI Associate Director, the institute is mapping out the earliest changes in the brain associated with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as motor neurone disease) in cellular and animal models and in people. This will help gain a much deeper understanding of the causes of these conditions. The aim is that data arising from this research will then be used to design early-stage diagnostics and to develop therapeutics for effective cure.

Professor Chris Shaw, UK DRI Associate Director, said:

The UK DRI builds on the exceptional neuroscience work at King’s College London and plugs our work into other centres of excellence both internationally, and throughout the UK. We have the momentum and we mean to make an impact with discoveries and new drugs.

King’s Health Partners Neurosciences has an ambitious vision to use our collective clinical, research, and educational expertise to deliver world-class patient care and research. 

Read more about the UK DRI at King’s College London’s opening symposium on the King’s College London website.