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Dementia Research Institute

Genetics and biological pathways projects

These are some of the projects our researchers are working on that fall within the theme of genetics and biological pathways.

Genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease

We have MRC and JPND funded programme grants to investigate the genetic susceptibility of Alzheimer’s disease through genome-wide and next generation sequencing analyses. We lead several international consortia, including the International Genomics of Alzheimer’s Project, which brings together over 300 scientists and 85,000 research participants.

Inflammatory biomarkers as disease predictors in Alzheimer’s disease

We are leading a biomarker discovery component of a Wellcome Consortium-funded project taking anti-inflammatory drugs into selected patients with Alzheimer’s disease and mood disorders.

Disease prediction modelling for Alzheimer’s disease

Our researchers lead the biostatistics work package for the Dementias Platform UK, as well as the Innovative Medicine Initiative European Prevention of AD projects that accurately model disease risk prediction via genetic and epidemiological data. These have significant potential impact for understanding the different forms of Alzheimer’s disease and developing therapeutics for precision medicine.

Development of patient-derived cell models of Alzheimer’s disease

We are funded through Health and Care Research Wales to model disease within human systems by utilising patient-derived stem cells. These models will help explain the biological mechanisms underlying genetic risk factors, and identify novel targets for therapeutics, which can also be tested in these same model systems.

Other projects

  • Examining the links between microglial priming and dementia.
  • An ARUK-funded study exploring the consequences of interventions in the complement system on disease course in a mouse model.
  • A group examining genetic modifiers of Huntington’s disease and other repeat disorders funded by CHDI.
  • Research into DNA repair mechanisms in Huntington’s disease and other trinucleotide repeat disorders funded by EHDN and MRC.