Biochemist Dr Francesco Aprile’ team study the behaviour of proteins involved in the disease at Imperial College London’s molecular sciences research hub. He said: “We try to make in a test tube what would be in the brain.”
The team are studying if the PCR process used on Covid will help test for Alzheimer’s.
Dr Aprile, funded by Alzheimer’s Society, said the quick production of a Covid jab showed what a lot of funding targeting a single disease can achieve: “If that could happen in the context of dementia we would definitely see a huge rise in results.”
He said research had come a long way in 10 years and he hopes for breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment: “There will need to be a strong commitment nationwide to support this area. It’s an important issue.”