bart_de_strooper_cropped

Bart de Strooper chosen as new director of UK Dementia Research Institute

pharmafile | December 15, 2016 | Appointment | |   

Bart de Strooper has been chosen as the new director of the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI), and University College London will form the hub. Prof De Strooper joins the project from his current role as leader of the Laboratory for the Research of Neurodegenerative Diseases at the University of Leuven and scientific director at VIB, Belgium.

Prof De Strooper has worked in Alzheimer’s and other dementias research throughout his career. His work has seen him granted the prestigious Potamkin Prize in 2002 and the 20008 Metlife Foundation Award for Medical Research. Prof De Strooper is also familiar with the UK research scene, as he has been a leading academic advisor to the UCL Drug Discovery Institute.

The UK DRI is a joint investment led by the Medical Research Council, Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK. The collaboration was begun under the UK’s former Prime Minister David Cameron, who issued the 2020 Challenge on Dementia.

The two targets of this challenge were: to be the best country in the world for dementia care and support and for people with dementia, their carers and families to live, and the best place in the world to undertake research into dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. These high aims culminated in funding and investment from the parties previously mentioned to create the UK DRI hub.

The decision was made to base the hub of the new initiative at University College London (UCL) due to its state-of-the-art neuroscience department. Once the institute is running as planned, the operation will be led by between 40-50 professors alongside a team of around 400 research staff. 

Related Content

No items found

Latest content