Former Prime Minister and President of Alzheimer's Research UK (ARUK), David Cameron, visited UCL this week to observe the impact of the work the charity funds, including the ARUK UCL Drug Discovery Institute and the new world-leading facility for UCL Neuroscience.
Professor Fiona Ducotterd (ARUK UCL Drug Discovery Institute) and Professor Selina Wray (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) led the visit and gave Mr Cameron detailed insights into their group's translational research programmes and how the future looks for dementia research.
Mr Cameron toured the industry-standard drug discovery capabilities in the ARUK Drug Discovery Institute labs, currently housed within the Cruciform Building, on UCL's Bloomsbury Campus.
The group also visited the new UCL Neuroscience facility at 256 Grays Inn Road,, near Kings Cross, where the labs will move next year. The purpose-built, state-of-the-art neuroscience centre is currently in construction and will open in 2024. It will be a comprehensive, coordinated neuroscience research hub, offering opportunities for multidisciplinary collaboration across basic and clinical science and drug discovery.
Professor Wray, said: "It was a pleasure to welcome Alzheimer's Research UK President, Mr David Cameron, to UCL to discuss some of the exciting dementia research ARUK are funding at UCL, and to show him the progress being made on the new neuroscience centre at Grays Inn Road. Through the Prime Minister's dementia challenge and subsequently in his role with ARUK, David Cameron has ensured dementia research is a national priority, so it was a privilege to share some of our excitement and optimism about the latest breakthroughs and ongoing research with him."
Professor Ducotterd, said: "The effort to find effective dementia treatments involves the precise integration of interdisciplinary teams. Our work with Alzheimer's Research UK in the Drug Discovery Institute at the core of UCL is doing just that and we can use learnings from basic science right through to the clinical setting to inform our drug discovery programs. It was a privilege to showcase our work and discuss our shared vision and mission with David Cameron in his role as President of ARUK and we will continue to combine disciplines and learnings to progress our science for our patients who are waiting."
David Cameron joined Alzheimer's Research UK as President in January 2017, and since then has helped the charity raise £20 million for research, as well as helping to open up new strategic research partnerships and collaborations.
While in office as Prime Minister, in 2012, Mr Cameron launched the Dementia Challenge - a programme of action to deliver sustained improvements in health and care, create dementia-friendly communities, and boost dementia research.
