EIGHT Centres Currently Accepting Participants with Further Expansion Imminent
The Blood Biomarker Challenge project continues to develop with eight key sites now open for recruitment, and additional locations preparing to join the network before month's end:
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
- St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- ReMind UK (The Research Institute for Brain Health) in Bath
- Memory Assessment and Research Centre, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust
- Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Wales
Site training has been completed at these locations, with participants beginning to engage with this important study. The network aims to eventually include 29 centres across the UK, with the next wave of sites opening very soon.
Collaborative Research Approach
The READ-OUT project (REAl-world Dementia OUTcomes) brings together expertise from Dementias Platform UK researchers at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The team is examining multiple existing and novel blood tests to identify effective and economical methods for accurate dementia diagnosis across various types, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies.
This research may improve how dementia is diagnosed, potentially offering more accessible and accurate alternatives that could be implemented in the NHS within five years.
The Importance of This Work
With approximately one-third of the UK's one million people with dementia remaining undiagnosed, this research addresses an important healthcare need. Timely and accurate diagnosis is essential for ensuring people receive appropriate care and support.
Science Minister Lord Vallance commented on the work: "New ways of testing for dementia earlier could help patients get the right treatment, sooner – ultimately meaning more quality time with their loved ones."
Participate in the Research
For this research to continue, volunteers from diverse backgrounds are needed. If you're interested in contributing to this work, you can register your interest in participating in the READ-OUT project or other studies supporting brain health research through DPUK's volunteer programmes.