On 1 October 2021, I will be stepping down as NIHR National Director for Dementia Research. One of my roles was to set up the Join Dementia Research service, to facilitate those living with dementia, their carers and the public to engage in research and to support dementia researchers to recruit individuals into research. Professor Martin Rossor, NIHR National Director for Dementia Research

Over the last six years, we have achieved with your help some remarkable milestones:

  • We have had 50,000 registrations and 48,000 enrolments onto dementia studies
  • Our volunteers comprised more than 30% of the UK participants for the Alzheimer’s drug aducanumab, which has conditional approval for use in the US
  • Join Dementia Research has become a key part of the dementia research infrastructure across the UK.

With the number of people with dementia in the UK set to rise to nearly 2 million by 2050, dementia research has never been more important and is still very much a key focus for the NIHR.

I am really proud of what we have achieved together; I remain a champion for Join Dementia Research and will continue to be involved both as a participant and as a researcher.

My colleagues will continue to communicate with you through this website, through the newsletter and through our social media channels.

Thank you all for your continued commitment to improving diagnosis, treatment and care through dementia research.