"together we are achieving so much": funding world class research by alison cranage,...
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Funding world class researchAlison Cranage, Alzheimer’s Research UK
Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading charity specialising in finding preventions, treatments and a cure for dementia
Why are we here?
~800,000 have dementia
25,000,000know someone with dementia
£23billion a yearcost of dementia to the economy
12Xmore spent on cancer research than dementia research
Our research
So far we’ve spent
£50m on dementia research
We’re currently supporting
£20mresearch projects
Drug Discovery Institute
What do we know about dementia and how can we defeat it?
100 years of Alzheimer’s Disease research
Alois Alzheimer(1864-1915)
Auguste Deter
Asst. to Emil Kraepelin
What is dementia?
A collection of symptoms, including a decline in memory, reasoning and communication skills, and a gradual loss of skills needed to carry out daily activities.
What causes dementia?
•Nerve cells become damaged
•Breakdown in communication
•Certain parts of the brain start to shrink
Hallmark changes in Alzheimer’s
tauamyloid
Other processes involved in dementias
Development of new treatments
Current treatments help with symptoms
• Donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, memantine
There are no treatments that can slow or stop the disease process
To develop such treatments, we must
• UNDERSTAND the disease
• find suitable TARGETS for treatments
• test the treatment in the right PEOPLE at the right TIME
Diagnosis
Research improving detection of dementia
Research into risk factors and prevention
• Age
• Cardiovascular risk factors• Healthy weight• Balanced diet• No smoking• Control blood pressure & cholesterol• Exercise• Drinking within recommended limits
• New genes linked to risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s
What else do we do?
Campaigning and lobbying
Dementia Challenge Research Group
Health Information
Working with others
Current policy
Dementia Challenge...
Doubling funding to £66m by 2014/15
The Lab www.dementialab.org
Fundraising
Help us defeat dementia
Donate
Fundraise
Volunteer
Speak out
Leave a gift in your Will
www.alzheimersresearchuk.org