Keywords: Dementia research, UK, Alzheimer's Society, Bupa Foundation

New £1.5 milion for dementia research launched by Alzheimer’s Society and Bupa Foundation

Article | 9 December 2009

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The UK’s Alzheimer’s Society and the Bupa Foundation have launched a partnership to boost research into dementia and its causes. The two charities are together launching a £1.5million ($2.5 million) fund to support research into an issue that is affecting more and more people in the UK and internationally.

The new fund aims to encourage partnership and collaboration between institutions to maximize expert involvement and to share knowledge and best practice. Researchers can apply for grants ranging from £100,000 to £750,000 and the fund is also open to applications from researchers in Australia, China, Denmark, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Thailand, as well as the UK.

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Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Dementia research is seriously under-funded. Much more needs to be invested if we are to see the same advancements in dementia care and treatment as we have seen for cancer. By delaying the onset of dementia by just five years we could halve the number of deaths from the condition, saving 30,000 lives a year, but without progress in research the economic cost of the disease is likely to rise to £27 billion by 2018.”

The Alzheimer’s Society currently invests more than £1.6 million a year in dementia research and has funded over 100 research projects in leading scientific institutions across the UK. Since being established in 1979 The Bupa Foundation - an independent medical research charity to fund research to prevent, relieve and cure sickness and ill health - has donated around £26 million, the vast majority of which has gone to medical research teams in the public sector.

The closing date for applications is 28 February 2010. Grants would be awarded in line with guidelines issued by the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC). For details on how to apply go to: www.bupafoundation.co.uk or www.alzheimers.org.uk/research