Published: 28 August 2024
City St George’s is part of the new £3 million Alzheimer’s Society Doctoral Training Centre for Vascular and Immune Contributors to Dementia, which aims to address the longstanding lack of research into the vascular and immune changes involved in dementia.
It is widely accepted that the cardiovascular and immune systems are important in the diseases which cause dementia. It is estimated that at least 70% of people told they have Alzheimer’s disease also have changes to blood vessels in their brains, and more to brain immune cells. Despite knowing these systems are important, the vascular and immune changes involved in dementia have not been extensively studied and are not well understood.
Together with the University of Manchester, Imperial College London and University of Edinburgh, the Centre will attract 29 talented scientists into the field of dementia research and support them to build a career in the field.
Supporting PhD students
Every year for the next five years, the St George’s Neuroscience and Cell Biology Research Institute will be the home to at least one Alzheimer’s PhD student. Being part of the Doctoral Training Centre will help them during the key transitional stage in their careers, by providing greater infrastructure and support to feel secure in pursuing dementia research as their career choice. It will widen their access to options for peer support, networking, knowledge sharing, specialisms, training, and equipment throughout their PhD.
“This new Centre aims to deliver new treatment targets and biomarkers in the dementia field, particularly related to vascular disease and inflammation. This work is especially timely in the post Lecanemab era as we extend the scope for finding new treatments to give people living with Alzheimer’s additional hope.”
- Dr Atticus Hainsworth, Reader in Cerebrovascular Disease and part of the DTC at City St George’s -
Finding early warning signs
Five projects have been selected to establish this network for future growth and to strengthen interactions between institutions and teams with sector-leading expertise. Two projects, including one based at City St George’s, will be patient-focused and aim to find changes in the blood and eyes, known as biomarkers, which are early warning signs that someone will go on develop dementia. This branch of work ultimately strives to achieve earlier diagnosis.
Other projects within the Centre aim to generate new understanding of the biology of the diseases causing dementia, by identifying new biomarkers and molecules that drugs can target, ultimately hoping to develop new treatments for those who need them.
Training next generation of dementia researchers
Professor Stuart Allen from the University of Manchester will lead the Doctoral Training Centre for Vascular and Immune Contributors to Dementia. He said:
“I am excited to be leading this DTC and having the opportunity to work with my colleagues at the University of Edinburgh, St George’s, University of London and Imperial College London, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Society, to train the next generation of dementia researchers. With recent breakthroughs in disease modifying treatments this is an exciting time for dementia research and I look forward to seeing our students add important new knowledge to the field over the coming years.”
This Centre is part of the wider £9.3 million investment by Alzheimer’s Society for a total of three new Doctoral Training Centres, each with a different focus. By the end of the programme, nearly 90 talented researchers will have been supported to begin their careers in dementia research.
Learn more about St George’s research impact