Event Care Minister visits UK Dementia Research Institute at White City
During this year’s Dementia Action Week, the Minister of State for Care Stephen Kinnock MP, visited alongside Rupa Huq, MP for Ealing Central and Acton, to learn more about the work of the UK Dementia Research Institute, which enables researchers to discover, develop and deliver solutions for people living with dementia.
Hosted by Professor Deborah Ashby, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and Professor David Sharp, Centre Director of the UK DRI Centre for Care Research & Technology, the visit took place at two Imperial-hosted UK DRI centres, UK DRI at Imperial and UK DRI Care Research and Technology Centre.
The Minister learned about the strengths of the UK Dementia Research Institute as a national institute, bringing people together for shared scientific inspiration and utilising cutting-edge tools and local infrastructure. The UK DRI hosts centres at leading research universities across the UK. These include centres at Imperial, Cambridge, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Imperial, King’s College London and UCL.
UK DRI at Imperial – addressing the earliest stages of dementia
The Minister saw the work of the UK DRI at Imperial Centre, which aims to identify what goes wrong in the brain at the very earliest stages of dementia. The Centre works to develop innovative treatments to correct detrimental changes, which could benefit people who are at increased risk of disease but have not yet developed symptoms, preventing or slowing down the onset of disease.
Dr Maria Weinert, Researcher at the UK DRI at Imperial Centre, demonstrated human stem cell imaging which seeks to understand the root causes of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The Minister learned about how this research is unveiling new understanding of vulnerable cells affected by these conditions, which can pave the way to developing drug treatments.
Visit to Living Lab – supporting people affected by dementia to live independently
Professor Sharp explained the work of the UK DRI Care Research and Technology Centre, which is developing smart technologies to support people affected by dementia to live safely and independently in their own homes.
The Minister toured the Living Lab, a model home environment where ideas and technological innovations are tested and validated. He saw first-hand a range of low-cost devices such as a digital sleep mat and a movement-tracking radar sensor which can identify medical complications that may occur in the home.
The Centre works directly with people living with dementia to help researchers develop these technologies. By harnessing AI, the team have developed a unique system that enables personalised care and support. The Minister spoke with Edith and Jyoti, who are both living with dementia, alongside Edith’s son and carer Lee, and Jyoti’s husband Bharat, to understand how this research and technology are having a real-world impact and translation.
Following a successful pilot phase, the technology is now being implemented into the homes of people with dementia through Minder, the UK DRI’s flagship digital care platform developed at the Centre for Care & Technology.
A new two-year study, funded by medical research charity LifeArc, will also prepare Minder for integration with the NHS and social care services. The study will pave the way for a new era of digitally enabled, community-based care for people living with dementia in their own homes.
Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock said, “The UK Dementia Research Institute is an inspiring example of the investment the government is putting into life sciences. The research I saw today is critical to the success of our 10-Year Health Plan.”
Professor Deborah Ashby, Dean of Imperial’s Faculty of Medicine, said, “We were delighted to welcome Minister Stephen Kinnock to the UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial during Dementia Action Week. His visit highlighted the vital importance of collaborative research and innovation in transforming dementia care. At Imperial, we are proud to lead pioneering work – from understanding the earliest stages of disease to developing real-world technologies that empower people with dementia to live safely and independently.”
Professor David Sharp, Centre Director of the UK DRI Centre for Care Research & Technology and the BRC Brain Sciences Theme lead, said, “It was a pleasure to showcase our work to the Minister. At the UK Dementia Research Institute Centre for Care Research & Technology, we aim to make a real difference to people living with or at risk of dementia now. By studying the underlying biological processes, harnessing advances in data science and developing technologies to support care within the home we are building toward a future where we can predict risk, prevent onset and personalise care for the millions affected by dementia across the UK and worldwide.”
