UKDP: Integrated DEmentiA research environment (IDEA)
Lead Research Organisation:
CARDIFF UNIVERSITY
Department Name: School of Medicine
Abstract
The UK Dementias Platform (UKDP) is a radically new approach to dementias research. It brings together data from around 2,000,000 study participants from 22 cohorts to try and discover the causes of dementia and to find out ways of slowing it down. The platform has been funded to the level of £12M.
In this proposal we want to improve UK infrastructure for dementia research so that the most can be made of the opportunity provided by UKDP. We wan to improve the infrastructure by buying important pieces of equipment that will put the UK at the forefront of dementia research worldwide and by establishing networks of scientists who will work together to make best use of the equipment.
The three themes of the proposal are imaging, informatics and stem cells.
For imaging we want to establish a network of PET/MR scanning facilities across the UK so that the molecular processes going on inside the brain that cause dementia can be studied.
For informatics we want to be bring together bas many different types of data as possible and make it easy as possible for scientists to use them
For stem cells we want to take cells form adults with and without dementia to find out how cells change as the dementias process begins and progresses.
We believe these proposals will raise standards, reduce costs, and deliver innovative and coordinated research, making the UK an internationally unique place to study dementia.
In this proposal we want to improve UK infrastructure for dementia research so that the most can be made of the opportunity provided by UKDP. We wan to improve the infrastructure by buying important pieces of equipment that will put the UK at the forefront of dementia research worldwide and by establishing networks of scientists who will work together to make best use of the equipment.
The three themes of the proposal are imaging, informatics and stem cells.
For imaging we want to establish a network of PET/MR scanning facilities across the UK so that the molecular processes going on inside the brain that cause dementia can be studied.
For informatics we want to be bring together bas many different types of data as possible and make it easy as possible for scientists to use them
For stem cells we want to take cells form adults with and without dementia to find out how cells change as the dementias process begins and progresses.
We believe these proposals will raise standards, reduce costs, and deliver innovative and coordinated research, making the UK an internationally unique place to study dementia.
Technical Summary
Our objective is to achieve a step-change in UK dementia research capacity through establishing national networks of existing and emerging centres of excellence in imaging, informatics and cell-biology.
The UK Dementias Platform (UKDP) is a radically new approach to dementias research, providing a highly efficient and cost-effective translational pipeline from discovery through to early phase trials. UKDP will create closer synergy between epidemiology and experimental medicine with the re-purposing of epidemiologic cohorts for trials readiness. The size and depth of phenotyping available to UKDP will deliver a step-change in the complexity and granularity of dementia related hypothesis testing and accelerate compound development.
Proposed here is an infrastructure of investment and collaboration. Underpinning UKDP is a critical mass of researchers and resources that will work together to encourage, facilitate, and develop a fully integrated dementia dedicated UK research environment. This will raise standards, reduce costs, and deliver innovative and coordinated research, to make the UK an internationally unique research environment. Through its partnership with major academic centres and industry, UKDP is well positioned to achieve this goal.
Building on the recent MRC investment in UKDP, we propose here to renew and extend the UKDP integrative research environment with an advanced molecular imaging network strategically located to exploit UKDP cohorts. Also proposed is an integrated informatics environment to facilitate the location of and access to both data and bio-samples. The third proposal is for a stem-cells network to promote the use of this important and emerging technology. Each of these elements adds value to existing infrastructure investments and fills significant gaps in the UK research landscape.
The UK Dementias Platform (UKDP) is a radically new approach to dementias research, providing a highly efficient and cost-effective translational pipeline from discovery through to early phase trials. UKDP will create closer synergy between epidemiology and experimental medicine with the re-purposing of epidemiologic cohorts for trials readiness. The size and depth of phenotyping available to UKDP will deliver a step-change in the complexity and granularity of dementia related hypothesis testing and accelerate compound development.
Proposed here is an infrastructure of investment and collaboration. Underpinning UKDP is a critical mass of researchers and resources that will work together to encourage, facilitate, and develop a fully integrated dementia dedicated UK research environment. This will raise standards, reduce costs, and deliver innovative and coordinated research, to make the UK an internationally unique research environment. Through its partnership with major academic centres and industry, UKDP is well positioned to achieve this goal.
Building on the recent MRC investment in UKDP, we propose here to renew and extend the UKDP integrative research environment with an advanced molecular imaging network strategically located to exploit UKDP cohorts. Also proposed is an integrated informatics environment to facilitate the location of and access to both data and bio-samples. The third proposal is for a stem-cells network to promote the use of this important and emerging technology. Each of these elements adds value to existing infrastructure investments and fills significant gaps in the UK research landscape.
Planned Impact
The current proposal in in support of the UKDP and will become part of the the UKDP impact strategy.
In summary, the UKDP strategy to deliver pact is to develop networks of partnership to actively consult engage the UK academic community in relation to dementia research focussing on the direction,
technologies and collaborations of the UKDP and the wider UK national infrastructure.
Our aim is to:
1) promote the best possible science
2) create momentum in dementias research by being inclusive of, and synergistic with, other initiatives.
Partnership discussions with industry are already underway with exchanges of ides, interests and needs between academic and industry stakeholders. Industry have identified their need for access to conversion (early MVI to dementia cohorts and for experimental medicine studies to conform to regulatory requirements.
We remain committed to raising the profile of contemporary debate about dementia and its treatment. We wish to encourage a culture of commitment to solving this problem. By increasing awareness at all levels of society we intend to leverage resources for the platform and for dementia research in general, to increase awareness of the need for earlier interventions and better targeted treatment in general by health service providers and the public alike.
Engagement with the general public and with patients and carers is a very important part of our mission. This serves not only to communicate our research findings and their relevance but also to address such issues as stigma in society and the research culture in the NHS in relation to dementia and older people. In addition to using the platform web-site to communicate to the general public, we will also liaise with charities and advocate groups such as Age UK and the Alzheimer's Society to promote our work and findings and to engage them in shaping the work programme.
In addition we will have a dedicated free-phone number available 6 days a week and a communications officer at 50% FTE over 5 years whose responsibility is to develop and implement a communications and public engagement strategy.
In summary, the UKDP strategy to deliver pact is to develop networks of partnership to actively consult engage the UK academic community in relation to dementia research focussing on the direction,
technologies and collaborations of the UKDP and the wider UK national infrastructure.
Our aim is to:
1) promote the best possible science
2) create momentum in dementias research by being inclusive of, and synergistic with, other initiatives.
Partnership discussions with industry are already underway with exchanges of ides, interests and needs between academic and industry stakeholders. Industry have identified their need for access to conversion (early MVI to dementia cohorts and for experimental medicine studies to conform to regulatory requirements.
We remain committed to raising the profile of contemporary debate about dementia and its treatment. We wish to encourage a culture of commitment to solving this problem. By increasing awareness at all levels of society we intend to leverage resources for the platform and for dementia research in general, to increase awareness of the need for earlier interventions and better targeted treatment in general by health service providers and the public alike.
Engagement with the general public and with patients and carers is a very important part of our mission. This serves not only to communicate our research findings and their relevance but also to address such issues as stigma in society and the research culture in the NHS in relation to dementia and older people. In addition to using the platform web-site to communicate to the general public, we will also liaise with charities and advocate groups such as Age UK and the Alzheimer's Society to promote our work and findings and to engage them in shaping the work programme.
In addition we will have a dedicated free-phone number available 6 days a week and a communications officer at 50% FTE over 5 years whose responsibility is to develop and implement a communications and public engagement strategy.
Organisations
- CARDIFF UNIVERSITY (Lead Research Organisation)
- Welsh Government (Co-funder)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- VU University Medical Center (Collaboration)
- National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) (Collaboration)
- Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) (Collaboration)
- Erasmus MC (Collaboration)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EXETER (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- University of Pennsylvania (Collaboration)
- Pasteur Institute, Lille (Collaboration)
- Hospital de Sant Pau (Collaboration)
- University of Bonn (Collaboration)
- KING'S COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
Publications
Hodgetts CJ
(2019)
Increased posterior default mode network activity and structural connectivity in young adult APOE-e4 carriers: a multimodal imaging investigation.
in Neurobiology of aging
Koriath C
(2020)
Predictors for a dementia gene mutation based on gene-panel next-generation sequencing of a large dementia referral series.
in Molecular psychiatry
Kunkle BW
(2019)
Genetic meta-analysis of diagnosed Alzheimer's disease identifies new risk loci and implicates Aß, tau, immunity and lipid processing.
in Nature genetics
Lancaster TM
(2019)
Microglia - mediated immunity partly contributes to the genetic association between Alzheimer's disease and hippocampal volume.
in Brain, behavior, and immunity
Leonenko G
(2019)
Genetic risk for alzheimer disease is distinct from genetic risk for amyloid deposition.
in Annals of neurology
Leonenko G
(2019)
Polygenic risk and hazard scores for Alzheimer's disease prediction.
in Annals of clinical and translational neurology
Leonenko G
(2021)
Identifying individuals with high risk of Alzheimer's disease using polygenic risk scores.
in Nature communications
Description | Academy Medical Sciences Council Member |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | Academy Medical Sciences Fellow |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | Academy Medical Sciences Wales Ambassador |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | COVID advisory group |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | Deputy Director DPUK |
Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | EPAD LCS sample access committe |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | Medicines Discovery Institute MDI |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | NMHRI management |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
Description | National Core Studies |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | £7million funds for projects related to COVID: prediction, protection and prevention |
Description | ABBUK Brains for Dementia Research Programme (extension) |
Amount | £2,598,988 (GBP) |
Organisation | Alzheimer’s Brain Bank UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 03/2021 |
Description | Centre for Ageing and Dementia Research - 2 Year Extension |
Amount | £1,200,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 514840 |
Organisation | Government of Wales |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 03/2020 |
Description | Dementias Platform |
Amount | £6,618,190 (GBP) |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2014 |
End | 06/2019 |
Description | European prevention of Alzheimer's dementia consortium |
Amount | £104,414 (GBP) |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 01/2015 |
End | 12/2019 |
Description | Expanding DPUK genetics and integrating with inflammation/immunity research |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 03/2019 |
Description | Exploration of inflammatory APOE44 astrocytic phenotypes |
Amount | £29,723 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 5245665 |
Organisation | Alzheimer's Research UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2023 |
End | 02/2024 |
Description | In vivo imaging of Tau distribution in the brain |
Amount | £44,743 (GBP) |
Organisation | Welsh Local Government Association |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2016 |
End | 03/2017 |
Description | MRC World Class Labs Capital Funding 2023/24 |
Amount | £54,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 526618 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2023 |
End | 03/2024 |
Description | PERADES: Defining genetic, polygenic and environmental risk of Alzheimer's disease using multiple power cohorts, focussed epigentics and stem cell metabolomics |
Amount | £389,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ARUK-PG2014-1 |
Organisation | Alzheimer's Research UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2013 |
End | 11/2016 |
Description | Powerful study of rare variants in Alzheimer's disease (R Sims) |
Amount | £200,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 164 |
Organisation | Alzheimer's Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2012 |
End | 02/2016 |
Description | The Moondance Dementia Research Laboratory |
Amount | £5,000,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 525036 |
Organisation | The Moondance Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2023 |
End | 08/2028 |
Description | The development and implementation of polygenic risk algorithms for stratifying individuals for future cognitive decline due to Alzheimers disease |
Amount | £298,040 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 2018/20180222 |
Organisation | Innovate UK |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2018 |
End | 03/2020 |
Description | The impact of AD-associated risk variants in complement genes on neurodegeneration |
Amount | £271,303 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 523088 |
Organisation | Alzheimer's Research UK |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2023 |
End | 09/2026 |
Description | Therapeutic targeting of impaired lysosomal flux in Alzheimer's disease |
Amount | £136,502 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/P007651/1 |
Organisation | Network of Centres of Excellence in Neurodegeneration (COEN) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 07/2016 |
End | 10/2017 |
Description | UKDRI Core Budget - Project 1 |
Amount | £1,686,147 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 524209 |
Organisation | UK Dementia Research Institute |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2028 |
Description | UKDRI Core Budget - Project 2 |
Amount | £1,547,766 (GBP) |
Funding ID | 524210 |
Organisation | UK Dementia Research Institute |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2024 |
Title | AD Genetics Scotland |
Description | Blood samples are collected from participants and sent directly from research sites to European Collection of Authenticated Cell Cultures (ECACC), a Culture Collection of Public Health England. Upon arrival, ECACC process the blood and transform into cell lines- peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and Lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Cell lines are frozen and stored at ECACC until they are required by the team at Cardiff. |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Ongoing collection of samples, no publications to date. |
Title | DLB Genetics |
Description | Blood samples are collected from participants and sent directly from research sites to European Collection of Authenticated Cell Cultures (ECACC), a Culture Collection of Public Health England. Upon arrival, ECACC process the blood and transform into cell lines- peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and Lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Cell lines are frozen and stored at ECACC until they are required by the team at Cardiff |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Ongoing collection of samples, no publications to date |
Title | Plcg2 animal models |
Description | To establish a functional pipeline for the study of disease associated genes and polymorphism in microglia and MØ in the context of dementia-related disease in vivo. The initial concentration is on the impact of coding mutations of PLCG2. In parallel, studies were initated on SPI1 and ABI3. Large scale 'omic and functional assay data derived from these studies will be used to bioinformatically identify potential causative abnormalities, by association with patient data |
Type Of Material | Model of mechanisms or symptoms - mammalian in vivo |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | n/a |
Title | DPUK Genomics portal |
Description | The DPUK Genetics portal provides a collaborative platform for individuals, DPUK cohorts and the wider research community to share and access research outputs from genetic research. The platform provides two key tools for finding, sharing and analysing genetic data; The Results Registry tool, accessible via the main DPUK web portal, allows searching and uploading of genetic results data. This tool provides a rich set of search tools specific to genetic data and includes visualisation using the popular JBrowse genomic browser. This tool will allow users to share this data. This can be done under secure data transfer agreements if necessary. The second tool is the Genetic Data Browser this is available exclusively within the secure DPUK infrastructure. This will allow users to create cross-cohort comparison studies based on genotypic datasets and linked phenotypic data. This tool provides an interactive dashboard which can pull in phenotypic data and genetic markers from GWAS data and allow users to intuitively explore, combine and export patient cohorts. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | The DPUK Genetics portal, housed on the DPUK platform, allows non bioinformatic-expert users to explore components of genetic data within a secure environment. We have provided access to an international consortium, GERAD, via the DPUK data portal. This is a dataset of over 18,000 cases and controls (detailed in Table 2), as well as over 5,600 samples to date submitted to the EADB, the European AD DNA bank for deciphering the missing heritability of Alzheimer's disease |
URL | https://portal.dementiasplatform.uk/ |
Description | ADES Collaboration |
Organisation | Erasmus MC |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | A way to make aware our different institutions and funders of that we are working hard to a better organisation of the AD genetic field worldwide and we need strong support for this. |
Collaborator Contribution | as above |
Impact | n/a |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | ADES Collaboration |
Organisation | Hospital de Sant Pau |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | A way to make aware our different institutions and funders of that we are working hard to a better organisation of the AD genetic field worldwide and we need strong support for this. |
Collaborator Contribution | as above |
Impact | n/a |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | ADES Collaboration |
Organisation | National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) |
Country | France |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | A way to make aware our different institutions and funders of that we are working hard to a better organisation of the AD genetic field worldwide and we need strong support for this. |
Collaborator Contribution | as above |
Impact | n/a |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | ADES Collaboration |
Organisation | Pasteur Institute, Lille |
Country | France |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | A way to make aware our different institutions and funders of that we are working hard to a better organisation of the AD genetic field worldwide and we need strong support for this. |
Collaborator Contribution | as above |
Impact | n/a |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | ADES Collaboration |
Organisation | University College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | A way to make aware our different institutions and funders of that we are working hard to a better organisation of the AD genetic field worldwide and we need strong support for this. |
Collaborator Contribution | as above |
Impact | n/a |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | ADES Collaboration |
Organisation | University of Bonn |
Country | Germany |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | A way to make aware our different institutions and funders of that we are working hard to a better organisation of the AD genetic field worldwide and we need strong support for this. |
Collaborator Contribution | as above |
Impact | n/a |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | ADES Collaboration |
Organisation | University of Pennsylvania |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | A way to make aware our different institutions and funders of that we are working hard to a better organisation of the AD genetic field worldwide and we need strong support for this. |
Collaborator Contribution | as above |
Impact | n/a |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | ADES Collaboration |
Organisation | VU University Medical Center |
Country | Netherlands |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | A way to make aware our different institutions and funders of that we are working hard to a better organisation of the AD genetic field worldwide and we need strong support for this. |
Collaborator Contribution | as above |
Impact | n/a |
Start Year | 2016 |
Description | Dementia Platform UK (DPUK) |
Organisation | Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Biostatistical analysis and epidemiological |
Collaborator Contribution | sample collections / cohorts, data and molecular biology |
Impact | none yet |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | PROTECT / CHARIOT-Pro / Cardiff DPUK |
Organisation | Imperial College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Genotyping of 1,000 research participants from the PROTECT (KCL & Exeter) and CHARIOT - Pro (Imperial) research studies will be completed by Cardiff Univ as part of a collaboration funded by Dementias Platform UK. Polygenic risk scores will be calculated for these individuals and data made available via DPUK Platform. |
Collaborator Contribution | DNA samples from 1,000 research participants from the PROTECT (KCL & Exeter) and CHARIOT - Pro (Imperial) research studies will be sent to Cardiff Univ for genotyping |
Impact | None to date - work in progress. Collaboration is multi-disciplinary - Neurology, Neuroepidemiology & Ageing; Genetics & Genomics; Psychiatry |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | PROTECT / CHARIOT-Pro / Cardiff DPUK |
Organisation | King's College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Genotyping of 1,000 research participants from the PROTECT (KCL & Exeter) and CHARIOT - Pro (Imperial) research studies will be completed by Cardiff Univ as part of a collaboration funded by Dementias Platform UK. Polygenic risk scores will be calculated for these individuals and data made available via DPUK Platform. |
Collaborator Contribution | DNA samples from 1,000 research participants from the PROTECT (KCL & Exeter) and CHARIOT - Pro (Imperial) research studies will be sent to Cardiff Univ for genotyping |
Impact | None to date - work in progress. Collaboration is multi-disciplinary - Neurology, Neuroepidemiology & Ageing; Genetics & Genomics; Psychiatry |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | PROTECT / CHARIOT-Pro / Cardiff DPUK |
Organisation | University of Exeter |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Genotyping of 1,000 research participants from the PROTECT (KCL & Exeter) and CHARIOT - Pro (Imperial) research studies will be completed by Cardiff Univ as part of a collaboration funded by Dementias Platform UK. Polygenic risk scores will be calculated for these individuals and data made available via DPUK Platform. |
Collaborator Contribution | DNA samples from 1,000 research participants from the PROTECT (KCL & Exeter) and CHARIOT - Pro (Imperial) research studies will be sent to Cardiff Univ for genotyping |
Impact | None to date - work in progress. Collaboration is multi-disciplinary - Neurology, Neuroepidemiology & Ageing; Genetics & Genomics; Psychiatry |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | UK Biobank neurodenerative disease platform |
Organisation | King's College London |
Department | NIHR Biomedical Research Centre |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Named investigator on grant application |
Collaborator Contribution | co-investigators on grant application |
Impact | Grant application currently under review |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | UK Biobank neurodenerative disease platform |
Organisation | University College London |
Department | Dementia Research Centre (DRC) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Named investigator on grant application |
Collaborator Contribution | co-investigators on grant application |
Impact | Grant application currently under review |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | UK Biobank neurodenerative disease platform |
Organisation | University College London |
Department | Institute of Neurology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Named investigator on grant application |
Collaborator Contribution | co-investigators on grant application |
Impact | Grant application currently under review |
Start Year | 2013 |
Description | UK Biobank neurodenerative disease platform |
Organisation | University of Oxford |
Department | Department of Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Named investigator on grant application |
Collaborator Contribution | co-investigators on grant application |
Impact | Grant application currently under review |
Start Year | 2013 |
Title | Dementia's Platform UK Biostatistics Tool |
Description | Bespoke analysis tool to perform the latest analyses on the largest UK datasets available. |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Impact | Product still under development / improvement following user feedback. |
Title | Dementia's Platform UK Cohort Selection Tool |
Description | Used to select cohorts of interest, and to put a research proposal to them for feedback under the DPUK research protocol. |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2016 |
Impact | Improvements ongoing to develop impacts. |
URL | http://www.dementiasplatform.uk/cohort-tools/ |
Description | AAIC Los Angeles Annual Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | MODEL-AD presentation - Alzheimer's Susceptibility Genes Implicate Microglial Activity |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | AMS fellowship workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Organisation of a Academy of Medical Science workshop by J Williams as Wales AMS Champion to encourage applications from young researchers to become AMS fellows |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | ARUK network 2019 Exeter |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | The event was organised between the ARUK Bristol & Bath, Southwest (Exeter and Plymouth) and Wales networks. The aim was for members to meet, showcase research & build collaborations. J Williams spoke on Research infrastructure and resources: UKDRI as member of Cardiff University and UK Brain Banks Network |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Alzheimer's gene study achieves landmark breakthrough |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Cardiff University publicised publication in Nature Genetics "Genetic meta-analysis of diagnosed Alzheimer's disease identifies novel risk loci and implicates Abeta, Tau, immunity and lipid processing" - aiming to raise public awareness of research being undertaken at UK Dementia Research Institute Cardiff |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | BBC Wales evening news UK DRI Cardiff official opening |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interview of Professor Julie Williams to publicise official opening of UK DRI Cardiff. Prof Williams explained the purpose of the DRI, its multi-targeted approach, and the funding that had enabled attraction of world class scientists to Cardiff. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bp0k0t/bbc-wales-today-evening-news-25102018# |
Description | BBC radio interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Radio interview BBC Forty research groups led by scientists in Cardiff, France and the United States have been working more closely together and have now pooled a worldwide database of 90,000 samples. "We're about to submit a paper that is enormously exciting and which I think will really change, without a doubt, what we think of Alzheimer's disease going forward," Professor Julie Williams, head of the research team at Cardiff University, said. "Over the last five or six years we've been successful in identifying 30 genes that increase - or decrease - your risk for Alzheimer's disease. Now this is telling us what some of the major components in disease development are. It's new, it's exciting; it's a different perspective on what Alzheimer's disease is." |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-36286847 |
Description | Brain Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | The Guarantors of Brain was set up to promote teaching, education and research in neurology and related disciplines. In 2021, we put on our first conference - run as a 2-day online conference, with a focus on clinical neurology and research. The conference was attended by almost 2000 delegates across the globe. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | CURE ND Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Workshop to discuss disease models in the field of neurodegeneration, what are the most advanced models to date, how accurate are they, and what is missing in terms of modelling |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Cheltenham Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Festival theme 2019 was health and wellbeing, considering everything from the food we eat and our exercise regimes to cutting-edge medical research. As part of this theme, the event explored the latest breakthroughs in dementia research. The panel was asked to talk about the broad landscape in this field and its evolution in recent years, key achievements and challenges and an insight into how the diagnosis and treatment of dementia has changed and developed. J Williams talked about cutting-edge research and expertise and the exciting aspects of her own work within this area As populations have aged, dementia has become the fifth biggest cause of death worldwide. Yet despite its devastating consequences there is currently no cure. What do we know about this group of diseases, and are there things we can do to help reduce our risks and keep our brains fighting fit? Alzheimer's disease specialist Julie Williams and psychiatrist Ivan Koychev discuss the latest breakthroughs and discoveries that are helping to prevent, diagnose and treat dementia more effectively. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2019 |
Description | Insurance United Against Dementia |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Supporters |
Results and Impact | Alzheimer's Society Insurance United Against Dementia campaign dinner - aim to formally launch IUAD partners to senior figureheads from the insurance industry Used as an opportunity to thank existing IUAD partners and inspire potential partners to make a contribution. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Interview for national news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Official opening of UK DRI Cardiff, attended by 300+ guests, including funders, Welsh government officials, members of the public taking part in dementia research studies, postgraduates. Widely publicised on national BBC and ITV news and radio |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-45942094 |
Description | Interview for national news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interview on national TV which is broadcast worldwide describing set up of Cardiff Univ receiving funding to set up as a UK dementia centre |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-39646667 |
Description | Interview for regional news |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interview on regional news to discuss setting up of new DRI UK laboratories in Cardiff and work on dementia research |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.itv.com/news/wales/2017-04-20/dementia-centre-to-offer-step-change-in-research/ |
Description | Keynote speech Sutcliffe Kerr Lecture |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Keynote speech at annual Walton Centre, Sutcliffe Kerr Lecture |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Local news item on brain donation for dementia research |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Older people in Wales are being urged to think about donating their brains after they die to help scientists researching dementia. This has sparked questions and debates - 80 comments within 24 hours. It will definitely influence people by raising awareness of the disease, the process of donation, benefits of donation/research and also opting in/out law change. We are confident this will increase the number of healthy/diseased donations and positively impact research field. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-43084710 |
Description | MRC CNGG celebration event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | MRC CNGG celebration - presentation and video |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Medical Women's Federation Spring Conference 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presentation on 'Finding the causes of Alzheimer's disease' |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Quote for This is Wales publication |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Quotation provided on the subject of innovation in Wales for trade magazine, emphasising research focus on dementia, specifically Alzheimer's disease |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | RCPsych Neuropsychiatry Annual Conference 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk given to conference entitled "Neuropsychiatric Genetics of Dementia and other Neurodegenerative Disorders: Implications for treatment, prevention and personalised psychiatry" |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Radio Interview with Alz Res UK Champion |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Radio Gloucester interview with Sue Strachan Alz Res UK Champion |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Recorded interview ARUK conference March 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | An interview with Video Journal Dementia at ARUK Conference 2018 discussing work at Cardiff DRI UK - online publication aimed at healthcare professionals |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
URL | https://vjdementia.com/speaker/julie-williams |
Description | Taking a new look at the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Media article on publication of Multiplex Model in Nature Neuroscience - providing information on how the genes that have been identified as risk factors impact on other genes to trigger Alzheimer's |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | UK Korea Neuroscience Symposium |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | UKorea symposia bridge basic and clinical research within neuroscience. J Williams gave plenary lecture on 1st day 2019 symposium. The statements were shared via the UK-Korea social media channel (twitter @UKorea_Neuro). |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Visit to DRI laboratories by Sir Venki Ramakrishnan |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, the President of the Royal Society visited DRI laboratories, Cardiff on 23rd October prior to giving a lecture organised by Welsh Government |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Welsh Government workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | The Welsh Government held a UKRI "Strength in Places Fund" and potential for Wales workshop. Strength in Places (SIP) offers a significant funding opportunity and the University is keen to prepare a pipeline of projects for development in this area, in what is anticipated, to be an annual call. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Will members of my family develop Alzheimers disease?' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dr Rebecca Sims presented "Will members of my family develop Alzheimer's disease?" at CADR Meeting Swansea, 2/8/2018. This reached an audience of 50 persons including general public, medical professionals, researchers and carers. This generated a number of questions and discussion after the talk, and was part of a wider discussion following other presentations focusing on similar topics. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Women in Industry |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Presentation to Women in Industry event, providing overview of career, advice for women in STEM careers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Women in Science film |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Women in Science video as one of the interviewees / case studies. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | World Dementia Conference - speaker |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | This WDC summit meeting was focused on 'Looking to the Future: The Dementia landscape' and followed the series of global dialogues as part of the WDC's dementia landscape project. Discussion took place on the science and research agenda and built on previous conversations of international dementia leaders around innovation and incentives and data sharing. As a guest speaker, asking the question 'are we on track', we explored whether the research and policy landscape facilitating the development of new treatments required global co-ordination, considered whether the right things are being funded and whether new funding models were required. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |