Dementia Support Line
2024/25 Cohort of Dementia Research Leaders
In 2024/25 grant round, we funded three exceptional dementia researchers to become our next Dementia Research Leaders. Read more about their research and motivations.
Dr Cara Croft
Understanding how tau builds up in the Alzheimer's disease brain
Dr Cara Croft first began her career Alzheimer’s disease research in 2012 and is now a Senior Lecturer and Group Leader in Neuroscience at the Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London. Throughout her career, Cara has been fascinated by the brain, and the fact that there is still so much to learn about how it works.
It is devastating that 1 in 2 people will be affected by dementia at some point in their lives, and this is why it’s so important to understand what is going on when the diseases that cause dementia affect the brain. I feel it is one of the biggest problems facing humanity and needs urgent attention.
Dr Ian Harrison
Boosting tau clearance in the brain to treat diseases like Alzheimer’s disease
Dr Ian Harrison has been working in the field of Neuroscience for a number of years. In 2019, Ian started his own research group at University College London, focusing on investigating the intricate mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases.
My paternal grandfather had Alzheimer’s, and my maternal grandmother had Lewy body dementia. My aim is to make a difference to those living with these diseases and their loved ones. This has been the core aim of my research group at UCL, and something I hope we are achieving.
During sleep, the brain’s natural cleaning system called the glymphatic system flushes out waste, including amyloid protein, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.
Ian's previous research has shown that tau, another harmful protein that builds up inside brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, is also cleared away by the glymphatic system.
Dr Ian Harrison said,
"We have seen huge advances in dementia treatment in recent years, and that is all down to early investment in bold and innovative research ideas. This research has that same potential, to make its way through to clinical trial in order to make a substantial change in the way dementia is treated and managed."
Dr Devkee M. Vadukul
Discovering biomarkers for mixed dementia
Dr Devkee Vadukul has been researching amyloid since her PhD at the University of Sussex and is now establishing her group at Imperial College London. She now aims to solidify herself as a leader within protein aggregation research, specialising in mixed dementia.
I am heavily invested in understanding the causes of dementia and exploiting this understanding for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. While my research sits in the early stages of biomedical research, the potential to benefit the lives of people affected by dementia is always at the forefront of my research questions, particularly in a ‘bench-to-bedside’ context.
Diagnosing mixed dementia accurately is difficult because it mostly relies on observing symptoms, rather than clear biomarkers – biological ‘red flags’ for diseases that can be tracked and measured.
Devkee aims to identify and validate specific biomarkers called mixed-protein clumps as new biomarkers. This research could be the first step towards improving the accuracy of mixed dementia diagnoses.
Dr Devkee Vadukul said,
"As a Dementia Research Leader Fellow, I will establish my independence as a researcher and solidify my research niche. Funding by Alzheimer's Society will also provide me with plentiful opportunities to engage with and communicate my research to the wider public."
Our research
Today, Alzheimer's Society is supporting world-leading dementia research with over £50 million in investment. Our funded research will bring breakthroughs in how we understand the causes of dementia, develop effective treatments, improve care and ultimately find a cure for dementia.
In diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, the tau protein forms small knots inside brain cells, which grow into larger tangles. Normally, the body clears out unnecessary tau, but in people with these diseases, it builds up and harms brain cells eventually causing the cells to die and the symptoms of dementia appear.
Cara's previous research shows that tau knots, which accumulate in the brain in patients with Alzheimer's disease, can unravel on their own, but very slowly.
Dr Cara Croft said,
"We know from previous research that tau links closely with brain cell death and the development of dementia symptoms. We hope that our research will help us to understand more about the tau protein and specifically how brain cells are able to clear it.
We then hope to use this information to develop new medicines."
Learn more about Cara's research