IAH PhD student goes to Westminster
IAH student champions dementia research at Westminster
A Newcastle PhD student is heading to Westminster to call for new measures to boost dementia research. Matthew Burke, a dementia researcher from Newcastle University, will travel to the House of Commons today (25 January) for the launch of a new report from Alzheimer’s Research UK, urging the Government not to squander the UK’s research potential.
The UK’s leading dementia research charity has challenged Government to avoid flash in the pan tactics on dementia research and commit to a national dementia research strategy. In a new report – Defeating Dementia – Alzheimer’s Research UK warns that the UK’s world-renowned dementia knowledge base could be lost unless scientists have better opportunities to enter and remain in the field.
The Defeating Dementia report will be launched at a House of Commons event, chaired by BBC 5 Live’s Shelagh Fogarty. The event will also feature Alzheimer’s Research UK patron Sir Terry Pratchett, the Department of Health’s National Clinical Director for Dementia Prof Alistair Burns, and 50 leading dementia scientists, including Matthew.
Numbers of people living with dementia are spiralling towards one million as the population ages, costing the economy over £23billion – with almost 30,000 people in the North East affected by the condition. With the limited treatments available only alleviating some symptoms, pressure remains on research to deliver new drugs, preventions and improved diagnosis. However, a history of underinvestment has left dementia research undermanned and underfunded.
Recent initiatives from Government and other research funders have helped, with one-off themed calls for dementia research and some increases in investment. However, the field is still dwarfed by provision for research into cancer and heart disease both of which do not pose the same degree of challenge to society and the economy. For every dementia scientist, over six work in cancer.
The Defeating Dementia report pulls together the opinions and experiences of 120 dementia scientists across the UK. The report makes 14 recommendations to the Government and all research funders to help boost capacity and create a research environment better suited to the challenge posed by dementia.
Alzheimer’s Research UK believes a national dementia research strategy should encourage ring-fencing of funding for dementia research; greater flexibility and calculated risk taking to foster innovation; boost research to improve disease understanding and accelerate treatment development. The charity is also calling for a simplification of funding applications, and the removal of unnecessary bureaucracy which comes at the expense of productive research time.
Matthew, who contributed his views and experiences to the report, has first-hand experience of the challenges facing young scientists trying to make their mark in dementia research.
He said: “Dementia is an important social and medical condition, especially in an ageing society and I want to make a contribution towards increasing our understanding of this syndrome. In the few years I have been working in dementia research, the greatest problem is the lack of funding. It is very disheartening when you see numerous scientists leave the field due to lack of funding and job security.
“My PhD is funded by Alzheimer’s Research UK and has been key to helping me reaching this stage in my career. As new young scientists, we have many excellent ideas about how to investigate dementia and make a real difference, yet we are unable to due to lack of infrastructure, technical support and equipment.”
Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said:
“It is right that we pay serious attention to the care challenge that dementia poses today and tomorrow, but we can’t just paper over the cracks. The only answer to dementia lies in research that will deliver new treatments and preventions.
“Government and other funders have taken some positive steps towards boosting research efforts in the UK, but we can’t rely on flash in the pan tactics. Through our recommendations, we are challenging all funders to take an essential long term view on dementia research. If we can’t boost the number of scientists working on dementia, then we will fail the 820,000 living with dementia today, and we will be powerless to avert the looming increases in prevalence.”
Above content from a press release issued by Alzheimer's Research UK on 25 January 2012
The full report can be downloaded from the Alzheimer's Research UK website - http://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/
published on: 25th January 2012
