We exist to beat dementia

RACE AGAINST DEMENTIA TEAMS

Teams of dementia researchers working together to speed up progress

Formula 1 teams have a relentless drive to succeed. Working together to achieve a common goal. Race Against Dementia believes this mindset can be applied to a team of dementia researchers to speed up progress.

Race Against Dementia Teams identifies high potential leaders – researchers with an inventive approach. We back them to build a talented team of scientists. Awards of £750,000 are made to support the team for five years, and funds can be used for headcount, equipment and research costs.

Team selection is spearheaded by Rosetrees, a UK private medical charity who have funded over 2,000 research projects and have a successful venture philanthropy approach. Race Against Dementia trains the entire team in a Formula 1-style mindset for focus and advancement.

Hear what people affected by dementia have to say about Race Against Dementia
“Formula 1 teams are relentless in their drive to succeed – collaborating to achieve a common goal. It’s a mindset and work ethic we believe can be applied to a team of dementia researchers. I hope these new dementia research teams will speed up progress and get results.”

Sir Jackie Stewart OBE

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Race Against Dementia Fuels Groundbreaking Research with Formula 1 Precision

Teaming Up To Drive Out Dementia – grant call for applications

This grant call aims to attract some of the UK’s best or most promising research leaders who deserve the encouragement and stability of long-term support to take their innovative ideas to the next level. We want to help them build exceptionally talented research teams to get them across the finish line as quickly as possible in the race to beat dementia.

Only submissions from UK institutions are permitted. There are no limits on the number of applications from an institution but only one application per applicant is allowed (whether as the principal applicant or a named co-applicant).

We’re looking for either basic science, translational and clinical research projects in the following areas:

  • New diagnostic tests
  • Prevention
  • Mechanisms of diseases
  • Identification and testing of potential new treatments


PIs will have the freedom to identify whomever they think will best benefit the team, although it would typically include a combination of exceptional early career post-docs, PhD researchers, clinical fellows and technicians.

A £3.75 million fund will be available to fund up to five outstanding research projects for five years (£750k/team).

Race Against Dementia will provide the teams with expert F1 mindset training in the problem-solving techniques used by innovative organisations to achieve their goals. Philanthropy experts, Rosetrees, will manage the application process, monitor and support the successful applicants for the duration of each project.

Preliminary applications (2-3 pages) will be assessed by our panel of dementia experts, headed by John O’Brien (Professor of Old Age Psychiatry, University of Cambridge). Successful applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal that will be externally reviewed.

Submission period opening (Preliminary application)
19 June, 2023
Submission period closing (Preliminary application)
4 September (5pm), 2023
Submission period opening (Full application)
30 October, 2023
Submission period closing (Full application)
18 December (5pm), 2023
Notification of funding decision
May 2024
Grant duration
5 years
Funding amount
£750k (£150k/annum)
rosetrees supports the best medical research

HOW TO APPLY

To apply please visit the Rosetrees Flexigrant Portal

(Search for: Race Against Dementia – Rosetrees Preliminary Application 2023).

TEAM VASCULAR

Revolutionizing the fight against vascular dementia

Vascular dementia, mostly caused by damage to the small blood vessels in the brain, affects millions globally, contributing to up to 40% of dementia cases.

Despite being so common, no specific treatments exist, and few clinical trials have focussed on this type of dementia.

Many patients with vascular disease suffer from comorbidities like heart disease or diabetes, which can interfere with research trials. As a result, these patients are often excluded from dementia research, leaving a critical gap in understanding and treatment options. Team Vascular are on a mission to change that.

TEAM RAPID

Tracking the invisible dementia trigger in air pollution

Air pollution isn’t just choking our lungs; it’s silently harming our brains too. At the cutting edge of this discovery is Team RAPID, a pioneering group from University College London based at the Francis Crick Institute.

Their mission?

To unravel the link between the air we breathe and the rise of dementia.

TEAM FTD

TESTING NEW TREATMENTS FOR FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA

Team FTD will run a trial to test new treatments for FTD, primary progressive aphasia, progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal syndrome.

These incurable brain diseases have different root causes but share some distressing symptoms. Behavioural change, impulsivity, personality change, apathy and obsessional habits can be experienced by people living with these illnesses. These challenging behaviours have no proven effective treatments, cause considerable distress to individuals and their families and are associated with poor survival.

Team FTD is on a mission to find effective treatments for frontotemporal dementia.

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