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£100k boost for Alzheimer’s research in Ulster

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Date published: 
Monday, December 15, 2008
News source: 
The Alzheimer’s Research Trust (ART)
Region: 
Northern Ireland
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The Alzheimer’s Research Trust (ART), the UK’s leading dementia research charity,  has awarded over £100,000 towards promising Alzheimer’s research at the University of Ulster.

The Alzheimer’s Research Trust (ART), the UK’s leading dementia research charity, has awarded over £100,000 towards promising Alzheimer’s research at the University of Ulster. Two grants have been awarded to the University; one will provide vital equipment to support stem cell research and a second will fund a researcher to examine links between Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. 

Dr Christian Holscher’s research is investigating the use of stem cells as a treatment for Alzheimer’s. Scientists have identified that numbers of stem cells in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients are much lower than in healthy brains, but whether the cells are important in brain repair is unknown. By deleting stem cells in mouse brains, the Ulster researchers can work out if they have an effect on the development of Alzheimer’s. The ART grant will purchase the X-Ray equipment they need to achieve this.   
 
The second ART grant will support promising PhD student Emilie Faivre for a three year investigation into possible links between Type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Emilie will explore the possibility that molecules similar to insulin could regenerate the damaged brain cells seen in Alzheimer’s patients.  
Dr Holscher said: 
 
“Both of these projects offer real opportunities to better understand Alzheimer’s disease. The findings could help us to develop new treatments, where scientists could intervene at a cellular level to repair and potentially reverse some of the damage to the brain.” 
 
Rebecca Wood, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said: 
 
“This research is vital in helping us piece together a fuller picture of how Alzheimer’s develops and what we could do to help protect against or repair the damage the disease does to the brain. 
 
There are nearly 16,000 people with dementia in Northern Ireland, and some 700,000 across the UK. With these figures forecast to double in a generation, we must fund more research into treatments for Alzheimer’s and related diseases. We are very much looking forward to seeing the results of this exciting research”.

 

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