Alzheimer’s Society pledges £9 million for three dementia training centres

It has pledged £9 million to fund almost 90 students to undertake dementia research at one of three new university-based doctoral training centres in Manchester, Newcastle and London.

Despite promising advances in the study of related conditions, it is estimated that just 20% of students undertaking PhDs focused on dementia will continue in the field. This has been attrbuted, says the society, to consistent underfunding, coupled with the nature of many academic careers.

With new treatments likely to emerge, it is essential says the Alzheimer’s Society, that sufficient talented academics are found to provide leadership for future work.

The centres will be led by Professor Stuart Allan at Manchester University, Professor John-Paul Taylor at Newcastle University, with Professor Nathan Davies and Professor Claudia Cooper at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL).

Each will focus on a particular area of study, namely: understanding how vascular and immune changes (Manchester), Lewy body dementia (Newcastle) and integrated care (QMUL). The centres will encompass networks of researchers from a range of institutions.

Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer but there is still no cure. With this new, bold and ambitious generation of researchers, life-changing breakthroughs can be achieved which are so desperately needed by people living with this devastating condition.

Alzheimer’s Society chief policy and research officer Fiona Carragher said: “Dementia is the biggest health and social care issue of our time. By 2040, 1.4 million people will be living with the condition in the UK. And yet a worrying number of dementia researchers leave the field after finishing their PhDs, so a catastrophic amount of talent and expertise is being lost.

She warned that one in three people born today would develop dementia in their lifetime, so investment was vital.

“These Doctoral Training Centres will give students in the early stages of their dementia research careers fantastic opportunities to collaborate with their peers and build knowledge, as well as access world-class expertise, the latest technology and training. Their research will lead to vital new knowledge where huge gaps remain.”