Our research strategy

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the largest dedicated funder of dementia research in the UK and the second largest charity-funder of dementia research in the world. Our vision is a world free from dementia and we support research towards that goal.

We fund research that move us towards finding new ways to prevent, diagnose or treat dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and other, related dementias. We support basic research projects all the way through to clinical studies. Our new Research Strategy has four core components.

1. Responsive and Targeted Funding

Alzheimer’s Research UK funding will continue to support the very best research from basic to clinical that improves our understanding of all the causes of dementia and improves diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Our ultimate goal is a cure.

Around a quarter of this funding will be focused on supporting targeted research that we believe will answer key questions more quickly. The elements include crucial investigations into the relationship between the two culprit proteins involved in Alzheimer’s disease – amyloid and tau, as well as proteins that contribute to other dementias. Visit the grants pages for full scientific details of these priority areas.

We are a flexible and responsive funder, committed to supporting the best and most innovative ideas from across the field.

2. New Drug Discovery

A new initiative will see Alzheimer’s Research UK provide funding for the first critical phases of drug discovery to help find promising new drug targets. This work will involve connecting our scientific teams with the pharmaceutical industry to speed up development. We will also be encouraging collaborations from other research funders in this area, joining together our funding with others’ to inspire greater efforts and success.

3. Strategic Projects

Alzheimer’s Research UK has had success with strategic projects in the past, including the funding of the Brains for Dementia Research initiative. We will develop opportunities for further projects, including our ambitious longitudinal study to help detect the very earliest stages of disease, and, on a case-by-case basis, funding clinical proof of concept studies.

4. Partnerships

Dementia research is a global effort, and as one of the world’s leading charity funders, we work in partnership both nationally and internationally where expertise can be pooled and more progress can be made through collaborative efforts.

For details of our Research Strategy or further details of the Drug Discovery, Strategic Projects and Partnership funding contact the research team. Alternatively, download our Research Strategy document.