MRC helps to establish the UK Dementia Research Institute

Eversheds Sutherland has advised the Medical Research Council (MRC) on its joint venture with charity partners Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK to form the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI).

The MRC and charity partners will invest £250m in the new national institute in response to the Prime Minister's 2020 Challenge on Dementia report.

The Eversheds Sutherland team was led by corporate education Principal Associate Morag Roddick, supported by Partner Neil Mohring (intellectual property), Principal Associate Stephen O’Reilly (charity law), Senior Associate Richard Johnson (tax), and Associate Nathan Lucas (company and commercial).

The institute’s mission is to lead the UK’s dementia research effort by bringing together world-leading expertise in biomedical, clinical, translational, care and public health research under a single, coherent and integrated programme of activity.

Morag Roddick, said:

“Eversheds Sutherland is delighted to have been able to support the MRC once again.  Our experience of working with research councils and higher education institutions in the establishment of research institutes was crucial in delivering this project. The institute will play a hugely significant role in improving the lives of those affected by dementia and we wish the Institute every success in delivering world-leading programmes in dementia research.”

Earlier this year, the Eversheds Sutherland team advised the MRC on the transfer of the MRC Prion Unit to University College London and the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit and MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit to the University of Cambridge.