Dementia is the biggest health challenge of our century – currently affecting 50 million people worldwide, projected to triple by 2050, with huge financial, emotional and social impact on people directly affected, their carers, their families and the community. 

Dementia is a symptom of several neurodegenerative disorders, with Alzheimer’s disease accounting for about 60% of cases. To date there is no way to prevent or even slow the rate of progression of neurodegeneration – there is still a major knowledge gap in our basic understanding of the diseases.  

The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) is the biggest UK initiative supporting research to fill this gap. It is a globally-leading, multidisciplinary research institute of 800 researchers investigating the spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders causing dementia, driving a step change in our understanding of neurodegeneration and accelerating the discovery, development and delivery of interventions which will help diagnose, treat and ultimately prevent dementia.  

The organisation's laboratory-based research groups are based in centres at University College London, the University of Cambridge, Cardiff University, Edinburgh University, Imperial College London and King’s College London. This includes the Care Research and Technology research centre, based at Imperial College in close collaboration with the University of Surrey. At the centre a diverse team of doctors, engineers and scientists harness recent advances in artificial intelligence, engineering, robotics and sleep science to create new technologies which will deliver the highest quality dementia care in the home. This will support independent living to help people living with dementia and their caregivers.

Structure and funding

UK DRI has a unique structure – a distributed institute, where all researchers are connected, wherever their labs are based. Each University acts as the employer of the research staff and as host to the UK DRI. The researchers are members of UK DRI and come together for shared scientific inspiration while making the most of cutting-edge tools and infrastructure locally.

The Founding Funders of UK DRI are the Medical Research Council, Alzheimers Research UK and Alzheimers Society. UK DRI has also secured funding from other sources, including LifeArc and a range of commercial partners, and is looking to continue to diversify and grow its funding.

Future plans

Having recently been recognised by a panel of international experts and peers, which awarded it a score of "excellent" in its first major review,  UK DRI has been awarded £150m over five years to continue its ground-breaking research. It will continue be a catalyst for discovery dementia research in the UK, unravelling the molecular and cellular mechanisms in the earliest stages of neurodegenerative disease, and laying the groundwork for life-changing treatments.

Find out more about the Institute's world-leading discovery science in a video here, and a brochure marking its first five years here. You can also read more about the impact of scientific research by UK DRI scientists on reducing health inequalities for people affected by dementia here.

UK DRI is governed by a Board of Trustees, chaired by William Rucker.

The Board of Trustees meet quarterly and has collective responsibility for the governance and oversight of the UK DRI. The Board are responsible for setting the Institute’s strategy and major policies in line with its objectives, as well as providing support to, and oversight of, the Directors and other senior UK DRI staff.

The Board ensures that there is effective leadership, monitors institute performance, and ensures accountability. Its work is further supported by Committees on Audit and Risk, Innovation / IP, Science, and Nominations.

Trustee (Emerging / Disruptive Technologies)

In addition to the application of new technologies to the research process, the Institute includes the Care & Research Centre, which works to harness recent advances in artificial intelligence, engineering, robotics and sleep science. The Board is therefore interested in hearing from those who have driven or advised on digital innovation, AI and data analytics in the sector. This could have been in an operational capacity, or from a professional services background with experience of advising these types of companies. Applicants will have an appreciation of emerging developments in the space as well as potential hurdles and opportunities.

Trustee (Communications)

Building on the success of its first five years, the Institute aims to maintain the strong relationships it has with its key funders as well as develop its public profile. Applicants will have experience of harnessing digital channels and various online platforms to execute communications strategies. They will be able to advise on best practice in this area and have an understanding of how communication and other content is consumed, from traditional print and broadcast media to social and digital channels. An appreciation of government affairs would also be welcome.

The successful candidates will be collaborative and comfortable operating at a strategic level with senior stakeholders. Above all, they will have a strong interest in the Institute's work and share its ambitions to better understand, tackle and ultimately find a cure for dementia.

William Rucker, Chair
Rob Buckle (MRC representative)
Susan Kohlhaas (Alzheimer's Research UK representative)
Melanie Lee CBE
Alasdair Moodie
Jo Pisani
Professor Sheena Radford OBE
Professor Sir Doug Turnbull
Anne Shevas OBE
Emma Whitcombe

This role is unremunerated, and reasonable expenses will be reimbursed. The appointment is for a three-year term, which can be renewed twice at the discretion of the Board.

Trustees attend all Board meetings, which occur four times per year, normally lasting about three hours each, with one being a longer annual away day. Trustees normally join one of the Board's four Committees (Audit and Risk, Innovation / IP, Science, and Nominations). In-person Board meetings have resumed, and Trustees are expected to travel to London to participate in the scheduled meetings, or visit the UK DRI Headquarters or other UK DRI centres. The meetings are held mainly in central London but are occasionally held at one of the centres in other locations, such as Cardiff, Edinburgh and Cambridge. There continues to be some scope for hybrid and remote meetings, as and when the need arises.

This organisation is based in London, and meetings will mostly take place in person. Candidates will therefore be UK-based.

UK DRI is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, belief or disability. Given the current composition of the Board, it is specifically seeking to increase the ethnic and age diversity represented and therefore strongly encourages applications from a wide variety of backgrounds. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.