UKDTN was proud to take part in this year’s Alzheimer’s Research UK Research Conference, held on 24–25 February 2026, Manchester – UK, where the Coordinating Centre team engaged with researchers, clinicians, industry partners and people with lived experience in dementia to share its mission of making the UK a go-to place for early-phase dementia clinical trials.

Throughout the two-day event, UKDTN hosted a dedicated stand that provided an opportunity to connect with a wide range of stakeholders and discuss how coordinated national infrastructure can accelerate the delivery of innovative studies. Conversations focused on strengthening collaboration across academia, the NHS, industry and patient communities to ensure faster access to cutting-edge trials and, ultimately, new treatments for people living with dementia.

A key highlight of the conference was the plenary session delivered by UKDTN Director, Cath Mummery, titled Clinical Trials in Alzheimer’s Disease: the next generation. The talk explored the rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape, presenting the latest developments in emerging interventions and demonstrating how advances in trial design and delivery are beginning to transform outcomes in dementia research. These outcomes reflect not only recent innovation in clinical research, but also decades of preclinical and basic science research that have laid the foundations for today’s therapeutic progress.

Professor Mummery emphasised the growing momentum within the field and the importance of coordinated national initiatives such as UKDTN in supporting more efficient, inclusive and scalable clinical trials across the UK.

“I have been a clinical trialist for 20 years and there is a feeling of positivity and excitement. We have turned that corner and we are finding treatments.”

Her message resonated strongly with conference attendees, reflecting a renewed sense of optimism across the research community. As scientific progress accelerates, initiatives like UKDTN play a critical role in ensuring the UK is ready to deliver the next generation of studies, helping bring effective therapies to patients faster.

UKDTN would also like to thank and congratulate the Alzheimer’s Research UK team for delivering a highly successful and engaging conference, which once again provided an invaluable platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing and celebrating progress across the dementia research community.

The conference reinforced the shared commitment across the sector to work collaboratively toward better diagnosis, improved trial access, and the development of more effective treatments for dementia. UKDTN looks forward to continuing these conversations and building partnerships that will help shape the future of dementia clinical research in the UK.