Our 2026 research conference: a time for collaboration and celebration

Over 700 researchers came together in Manchester for our biggest annual research conference to date. From biomarkers and clinical trial design to the future of dementia prevention, the conversations were wide-ranging, and the buzz in the room has stayed with many of us.  

The conference opened with a powerful reminder of why this work matters. Charlie Quirke, the son of Birds of a Feather actress Pauline Quirke MBE spoke about his mum’s dementia diagnosis and what it has meant for their whole family. “My mum is living with dementia and everyone in our family is living with it too,” he said. 

In honour of his mum, Charlie embarked on a gruelling 140km trek in December, walking for five days across five counties. ‘‘I couldn’t have expected how difficult it was going to be,” he reflected. He closed with a message that resonated across the room: “I am going to keep fighting, as long as my mum does and as long as you do.” 

Following this epic challenge, Charlie has announced he will be running the TCS London Marathon for Alzheimer’s Research UK in April. Support Charlie and help fund life-changing dementia research. Find out how you can show your support here and bring us closer to a cure.

Looking at the bigger picture

Across the two days in Manchester, it struck me how far we’ve come in dementia research in just a few years. As we learn more about what goes wrong in the brain during dementia, we are increasingly able to look beyond understanding, to the many ways we might intervene, from earlier diagnosis to better trial design, and new approaches to prevention. 

The scope of sessions was bigger than ever this year, and that matters. Dementia researchers spend years, sometimes decades, developing specialist expertise, which can make it easy to focus on a single question or method. Our research conference brings researchers together to share ideas, challenge assumptions, and spot new opportunities for collaboration. 

Clinical trials: building the next generation of treatments

Professor Cath Mummery from University College London (UCL) took the audience through what clinical trials have taught us so far, and what needs to happen next. A key theme in her talk was that treatments in the pipeline will only be as effective as our ability to deliver them safely and at the right time. 

Prof Mummery shared the latest findings from the phase Ib/IIa trontinemab study, exploring whether new “brainshuttle” technology could help medicines reach the brain more effectively.. This may reduce the dose needed to see an effect and lower the chance of side effects, potentially helping make future treatments safer and more practical for more people. 

It was encouraging to hear that global phase III studies, TRONTIER 1 and 2, are now underway, with 14 active locations recruiting across the UK. This update comes after the studies were announced at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s disease (CTAD) conference in December. Find out more here.  

Prof Mummery also highlighted work to strengthen how dementia clinical trials run in the UK, including the UK Dementia Trials Network (UKDTN), which aims to coordinate trials across clinical sites, helping make studies more accessible, impactful and inclusive. 

As part of our Doctoral Clinical Fellowship programme, we offer fellows a clinical trial placement in partnership with the UKDTN. By providing hands-on experience in dementia trials, we aim to support the next generation of leaders in clinical research and build UK capacity for future studies.

Expanding the horizons of dementia research

The Manchester programme reflected the fact that there is no single route to a cure. Progress will come from tackling dementia from every angle. 

Dr Ivan Koychev from Imperial College London shared interesting findings suggesting that the APOE4 gene, which is linked to higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease, may influence when proteins start to build up in the brain and how quickly this happens. Better understanding of how dementia progresses could help researchers tailor treatments and support to the needs of each person. 

Dr Camille Carroll from Newcastle University, talked about digital biomarkers, including work from the Mobilise-D study. By measuring features of walking such as speed and stride length, and pairing these with wearable technology, researchers may be able to track changes more easily and with less disruption to daily life. 

In a thought-provoking debate, Professor Bernadette McGuinness from Queen’s University Belfast and Professor David Llewellyn from the University of Exeter – who took the stage in full 80s sportswear- joined Professor Cath Mummery and Professor Jonathon Schott from UCL to explore the future of Alzheimer’s disease prevention. Together, the debate reflected a key theme across the conference: progress will come from pursuing multiple approaches, in parallel.  

Dr David Vauzour from the University of East Anglia explained how he is looking at changes in gut bacteria that happen early in disease progression before cognitive decline. Food-based therapies present an easy way people can reduce their risk.  

Eating a healthy diet can play a role in reducing dementia risk, but it is only part of the picture. Our Think Brain Health Check-in helps people explore healthy brain behaviours, giving simple tips on how we can look after our brains.  

Biomarkers- 25 years of progress

Professor Henrik Zetterberg closed our Manchester conference with a plenary talk charting key milestones in biomarker research over the past 25 years. With potential candidates such as ptau217 now being tested in clinics across the UK, he reflected on how far the field has come, having begun this work before some of these tools even existed. 

What makes this so important is not just scientific progress, but what it could mean for people and families. As Prof Mummery highlighted in her clinical trials talk, if new treatments are to have the best chance of working, we need to diagnose dementia much earlier than we often do today. 

Biomarkers offer a real opportunity to change that. They could help doctors detect disease earlier, before symptoms become severe, and make it easier to identify who might benefit from a treatment, and when. Earlier diagnosis could also mean earlier support, clearer answers, and more chances for people to take part in research. 

Conclusion

These two days at our Manchester conference have reminded me how far we’ve come, and why we have to keep going until we find a cure. Progress is powered by partnerships and by nurturing the research leaders of tomorrow. One of these leaders is Dr Maura Malpetti, who received this year’s David Hague Prize, in recognition of her outstanding early career research, looking at how inflammation in the brain contributes to frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and how we can diagnosis FTD more accurately. We’re excited to see how she continues to make strides in the field.   

By bringing the brightest minds together, we hope to foster new collaborations and find bold new ways to treat, diagnose and prevent dementia. With your support, we can continue driving important conversations and progress towards a cure.  

I look forward to seeing what the next few years will bring and what we can achieve. Look out for more information about our next conference in 2028!