hheadmin, Author at Hospital Healthcare Europe

Press Releases

Take a look at a selection of our recent media coverage:

UK charity announces research investment to find Parkinson’s drug

6th August 2019

Charity Parkinson’s UK is partnering with the University of Sheffield to discover and develop a potential drug that could protect the dopamine-producing brain cells affected by Parkinson’s.

The charity will invest up to £100,000 as part of their pioneering Virtual Biotech programme. This initiative aims to fast-track the best ideas and rapidly turn them into promising treatments, that can be tested and progressed to transform the lives of people with Parkinson’s.

Scientists at the University of Sheffield’s Institute of Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) – a world leading centre for neuroscience research – and Parkinson’s UK will work together to modify two compounds in the study. These have been found to boost mitochondrial function in dopamine-producing brain cells and potentially reduce nerve cell death. They will look to maximise the potency and selectivity of these beneficial effects on mitochondria.

In Parkinson’s, brain cells that produce a chemical called dopamine are slowly lost over time. Dopamine allows messages to be sent to the parts of the brain that help to coordinate movement. To do this effectively, the dopamine-producing brain cells need to be constantly active. They rely on energy-producing mitochondria, the powerhouses of cells, to function properly. Any disruption could lead to dysfunction and degeneration of dopamine-producing brain cells and eventual cell death.

It is hoped the most promising compound from the study will be progressed along the drug discovery pipeline and pave the way towards potential new treatments that will protect the brain cells, slow down the progression of Parkinson’s and extend quality of life.

Richard Morphy, Drug Discovery Manager at Parkinson’s UK, said: “We are delighted to partner and work with Heather Mortiboys and her team at the University of Sheffield. Through our Virtual Biotech initiative, we are committed to accelerating promising and breakthrough treatments for Parkinson’s.

“This is an exciting new approach that could rescue defective mitochondria inside neurons to prevent dysfunction and degeneration of dopamine-producing brain cells. With 148,000 people living with Parkinson’s in the UK, there is a desperate need for new and better treatments for Parkinson’s. We hope the project will identify a superior group of molecules that could one day deliver a life-changing drug for people living with the condition.”

Dr Heather Mortiboys, Parkinson’s UK Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield’s SITraN, said: “I am really delighted to be working with Parkinson’s UK to progress these exciting compounds closer to the clinic to have a real benefit for people with Parkinson’s.

“We have already been working for five years at the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience to get to this stage, so investment from the Parkinson’s Virtual Biotech programme to further optimise the compounds towards a readily available treatment is great news. We know the mitochondria are defective in Parkinson’s; our work has found compounds, which can restore mitochondrial function in dopaminergic brain cells derived from people with Parkinson’s. If we can optimise the compounds for drug like properties we have a chance of delivering a drug which could slow the progression of Parkinson’s.”

To date Parkinson’s UK’s Virtual Biotech programme, has invested in six projects, to combat lost opportunities in drug discovery and early clinical development.

Parkinson’s UK is the largest charitable funder of Parkinson’s research in Europe. The charity is looking for partners to help it create a portfolio of projects that can attract further investment and take successful projects into the later stages of drug development and trials. For more information visit: www.parkinsonsvirtualbiotech.co.uk

UK charity announces research investment to find Parkinson’s drug

Expert view: Why are allergies on the rise?

5th August 2019

A study from NHS Digital – data from which were reported on the BBC website in 2016¹– showed that there had been a 33% increase in admissions for different forms of allergy and an increase of 19% of cases of anaphylactic shock in hospital facilities in the UK in the preceding five years.

And the UK is not alone in this, in that a significant increase in the incidence of allergies has been registered in developed countries, first beginning in the 1960s and steadily progressing thereafter.

How can we explain this worsening situation? Certainly medical advances allow increasingly accurate diagnoses of allergies and intolerances. Researchers on one hand say that part of the amplification of the phenomenon is the increased possibility of better predicting the pathologies, while on the other hand insist on an actual increase in allergies.

Living in a ‘cleaner’ world has changed behaviours and adaptation of our immune defences against microorganisms. It is all a way of life to be challenged in the face of the consequent increase in allergic sensitivities.

Compared with 50 years ago, we spend much more time at home, in warmer and cleaner homes. This, together with the improved therapeutic possibilities (for example the use of antibiotics), can facilitate the development of allergies in predisposed subjects.

This is the so-called ‘hygiene hypothesis’, first suggested by Professor David Strachan in 1989.² He observed a link between smaller family sizes or hygiene standards and an increased risk of allergies. These data came from a study of more than 17,000 British children who had been followed up for many years. Professor Strachan noted that as the number of older siblings increased, the incidence of allergies decreased. He suggested that being less exposed to microbial infections in early life (as is probably the case of children having no or few older siblings) could influence the risk of developing allergies.

In general, better hygiene conditions compared with some decades ago, and the consequent reduced microbial exposure, would therefore be at least one of the reasons behind the increase in the incidence of various allergies.

Increasing understanding about allergies is essential to help the population lead a better life, trying to act – where possible – to prevent allergic risk.

References

‘Cleaner world’ increases allergy hospital admissions by 33% in five years. www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-37482798
Strachan DP. Hay fever, hygiene, and household size. BMJ 1989;299(6710):1259–60.

Expert view: Why are allergies on the rise?

Immune cell subtype in mice that drives allergic reactions discovered

2nd August 2019

Scientists have identified a subtype of immune cell that drives the production of antibodies associated with anaphylaxis and other allergic reactions.

The research was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, and reveals a potential target for new therapies to prevent severe allergic reactions. The findings are published online in the journal Science.

Investigators at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, the Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, and their collaborators discovered a subtype of T cells – called T follicular helper cell 13, or Tfh13 cells – in laboratory mice bred to have a rare genetic immune disease called DOCK8 immunodeficiency syndrome. In humans, DOCK8 deficiency leads to recurrent viral infections of the skin and respiratory system and to severe allergies and asthma.

Allergies and anaphylaxis are linked to the production of high levels of high-affinity IgE antibodies, which bind strongly to allergens to spur allergic reactions. The investigators noted that mice with a DOCK8 deficiency had novel T follicular helper cells, not found in normal mice, that produced a unique combination of chemical messengers called cytokines.

They then took mice with normal immune systems and sensitised them with respiratory and food allergens to induce severe allergic reactions leading to anaphylaxis. While non-allergic mice lacked Tfh13 cells, allergic mice had both Tfh13 cells and high-affinity IgE. With genetic manipulation, the scientists prevented Tfh13 cell development in mice and found that the animals did not make anaphylactic IgE to allergens. To transfer this insight to humans, they then compared blood samples from people with peanut or respiratory allergies to those of non-allergic volunteers and found that individuals with allergies and the associated IgE had elevated levels of Tfh13 cells.

The study authors conclude that Tfh13 cells are responsible for directing antibody-producing B cells to create high-affinity IgE and that Tfh13 cells may be required for allergic disease, including anaphylaxis. They say targeting Tfh13 cells may represent a new strategy to prevent or treat allergic diseases. While such a strategy would likely not replace life-saving, emergency epinephrine when anaphylaxis occurs, therapies targeting Tfh13 cells might prevent the onset of anaphylaxis when an allergic person is exposed to an allergen.

Reference

Gowthaman U et al. Identification of a T follicular helper cell subset that drives anaphylactic IgE. Science 2019;DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw6433

Immune cell subtype in mice that drives allergic reactions discovered

Offer daily aspirin to those with inherited genetic condition to reduce risk of cancer

Aspirin taken daily for more than two years could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer in people with an inherited genetic condition, NICE has said in new draft guidance.¹

People with Lynch syndrome (LS) have an increased lifetime risk – estimated to be four out of five people – of developing colorectal cancer.

Regular screening with colonoscopy and polypectomy to identify pre-cancerous cells has until now been the main strategy to detect early colorectal cancer in people with LS and offer appropriate management.

NICE published diagnostics guidance in 2017 recommending that everyone who is diagnosed with colorectal cancer should be tested for LS. If the test shows they do have LS, they can be monitored for other cancers and their close relatives can also be offered testing for LS. Updated guidance recommends aspirin is an option to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer among this group.

Colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon or rectum, or bowel) is the fourth most common form of the disease in the UK, with more than 42,000 new cases diagnosed each year according to Bowel Cancer UK. However it is the UK’s second biggest cancer killer, with 44 people dying each day.

Dr Paul Chrisp, director of the Centre for Guidelines at NICE, said: “The independent committee looked at evidence from a multi-country randomised controlled trial, which showed taking daily aspirin for more than two years reduces the risk of colorectal cancer in people with Lynch syndrome.

“While there are risks associated with long-term aspirin use, the committee agreed that the benefits are likely to outweigh any potential harms.

“It is important that clinicians and patients discuss the potential harms and benefits of long-term aspirin use so that an informed decision can be made.”

Also included in this updated guideline is a recommendation for clinicians to consider chemotherapy before surgery (called neoadjuvant chemotherapy) for people with the most severe form of colon cancer. The committee’s recommendation was based on evidence showing that it improved survival.

A consultation has now begun on the recommendations contained in the guideline at nice.org.uk

The draft guidance will be available at 00:01 from Friday 2 August 2019.

Offer daily aspirin to those with inherited genetic condition to reduce risk of cancer

Scottish capital is global hotspot for inflammatory bowel disease rates

Edinburgh has some of the highest known rates of inflammatory bowel disease in the world and the figure is expected to rise in the next ten years.

Researchers say that one in 125 people in the city have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis – collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

They predict this figure will rise to 1 in 98 by 2028, putting further strain on NHS resources.

The University of Edinburgh study shows that Crohn’s disease affects 284 people out of every 100,000 in Scotland’s capital. The world’s highest rate is 322 people out of 100,000 in Hesse, Germany.

Ulcerative colitis, meanwhile, affects 432 people out of every 100,000 in Edinburgh – second in the world only to south-east Norway, where it affects 505 people in every 100,000.

These findings broadly apply to the rest of Scotland, the UK and across the western world, researchers say.

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are lifelong and debilitating conditions with no known cure. They are characterised by highly unpredictable and intrusive symptoms, such as diarrhoea, pain, weight loss and extreme fatigue.

The cause is unknown, but it is thought to be caused by an overactive gut immune response in genetically pre-disposed people. The makeup of normal gut bacteria and diet can also play an important role.

While patients with IBD require regular treatment and monitoring, the condition has a low mortality. Experts say this – combined with an ageing population – means the number of older people with IBD is set to increase in the coming years.

The study was published in the journal Gut.

Dr Gareth-Rhys Jones, clinical lecturer in IBD at the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Inflammation Research, said: “IBD is a condition that disrupts the lives of patients and their families all too frequently. Our findings highlight that more resources are needed to provide patients with the research, treatment and care they deserve.“

Dr Charlie Lees, a consultant gastroenterologist in the Edinburgh IBD Unit, added: “There is no doubt that IBD is now becoming a global pandemic. This study provides much-needed data and can act as a launchpad for pivotal new studies to help patients.”

Sarah Sleet, CEO of Crohn’s and Colitis UK, said: “This important study contributes to the growing evidence that the prevalence of IBD is significantly higher than is currently recognised.”

Scottish capital is global hotspot for inflammatory bowel disease rates

Blood test can detect rejection by antibodies after kidney transplant

A group of European scientists led by KU Leuven has found a biomarker that can identify patients with symptoms of kidney rejection symptoms after a transplant as a result of antibodies.

The identification can be done through a simple blood test and at an early stage. It is the first known biomarker for rejection by antibodies. The researchers hope that the test can be further developed quickly for use in the hospital.

After a kidney transplant, rejections occur frequently. To determine if the body is rejecting the organ, doctors usually take a biopsy. Moreover, rejection symptoms are often discovered too late, so that correct treatment is not always possible anymore.

At the University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium, kidney transplant patients systematically undergo a kidney biopsy three months, one year, and two years after the transplant. However, the biopsy only can detect rejection symptoms that are present at that moment, while rejection can occur at any time. Moreover, about 10-20% of rejections remain undetected with current methods, which leads to graft failure, reinitiation of dialysis and the need for a repeat transplant.

Milestone in kidney transplant research

For several years, kidney transplantation research has focused on finding biomarkers that can detect symptoms of organ rejection in the blood. Such a biomarker has now been discovered in a European study in four university hospitals (Leuven, Paris, Hannover and Limoges) that was spearheaded by nephrologists from KU Leuven.

It is the first time that researchers have found a biomarker for kidney transplant rejection by antibodies. For T cell-mediated rejection, a common type of rejection, some biomarkers in the blood have recently been found, which are now being further developed for clinical use. Rejection by T cells is treatable, but there are fewer treatment options for rejection with antibodies.

“Rejection by HLA antibodies often has serious consequences,” said professor Maarten Naesens, nephrologist at the University Hospitals Leuven and principal investigator of the study. “Traditional tests for assessing the function of transplanted kidneys can often only identify rejection when it is already chronic and irreversible. Thanks to our biomarker, we can detect rejection much earlier and with a simple blood test. Because the test is less invasive, we will be able to test more often than with the current biopsies.”

Clinical value

In the first phase, the European researchers performed a genome-wide study to find out differences in RNA molecules among 117 patients with and without kidney rejection symptoms after a transplant. In the second phase, the different molecules of an independent group of 183 patients were processed into a mathematical model. The final biomarker consists of eight RNA molecules that are measured with an RT-PCR technique. In the third phase, the biomarker was validated in 387 patients in four European academic hospitals.

“In addition to developing the biomarker, that third phase was very important,” said Dr Elisabet Van Loon from the Nephrology and Kidney Transplantation research group at KU Leuven. “Researchers are often satisfied with a new discovery, even though they are unable to test it in independent clinical studies. Thanks to international cooperation, we could validate our biomarker in a large group of patients. That gives us a lot of confidence in the clinical value of the new biomarker. “

The researchers now want to consult with medical diagnostic companies to further develop and standardise the test. “In principle, our antibody rejection test has been sufficiently validated for commercialisation,” said Professor Naesens. “This is the next and necessary step to be able to offer the test to patients. With the test, patients who have no rejection of antibodies will no longer have to undergo a biopsy. The biomarker will also help to detect rejection sooner and will support the search for better medicines against rejection by antibodies.”

Blood test can detect rejection by antibodies after kidney transplant

Excellence payments to hospitals improve hip fracture care

1st August 2019

Hip fractures are a major cause of death and disability among older people worldwide, with 70,000 cases every year in the UK, which cost the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK around £2 billion.

In 2010, a Best Practice Tariff (BPT) was launched across England, which promised extra payments to hospitals for each hip fracture patient whose care satisfied six clinical standards, such as surgery within 36 hours.

Researchers from the University of Oxford and Yale University compared the data from England with that in Scotland, which does not provide BPT payments to hospitals. They found that the BPT scheme saved up to 7600 lives in England between 2010 and 2016.

David Metcalfe of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, said: ‘This is the first study to show that the Best Practice Tariff drove changes in practice that reduced mortality for older adults with a hip fracture in England.

‘Our research also suggests that the BPT led to generally improved standards of care for hip fracture patients. It increased the proportion of patients receiving an operation within 36 hours, shortened the average length of stay in hospital and reduced the number of patients that had to be re-admitted to hospital.

‘As it is possible that similar schemes could improve outcomes for patients and reduce costs for the NHS, we should support the controlled expansion of the BPT model to other clinical areas.’

A total of 1,037,860 adults aged over 60 were admitted to hospitals between 2000 and 2016 with a hip fracture in England, and 116,594 in Scotland. Before the BPT scheme was introduced, trends in 30-day mortality were the same in England and Scotland. However, the number of hip fracture deaths fell much more markedly in England after the BPT was introduced. A pre-existing trend towards increased numbers of patients requiring re-admission to hospital was halted after the introduction of the BPT scheme.

$Excellence payments to hospitals improve hip fracture care$

Brain activity may help predict success of cognitive behavioural therapy in depression

In a new study, led by the University of Glasgow and published in Science Advances, scientists show that brain activity recorded using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may help predict response to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in depression before the treatment commences.

The advances could help patients receive the most appropriate treatment for depression in a timely manner.

Depression affects more than 300 million people worldwide, and while CBT can be an effective treatment for depression it does not work for everyone, with only around 45% of patients benefitting from it.

At present, it is not possible to tell in advance who is going to benefit from CBT and who is not. Instead doctors have to rely on a trial-and-error approach, which in turn increases the strain on the health care system and prevents some patients, for whom CBT does not work, from getting an alternative course of treatment in a timely manner.

The researchers recruited patients with depression, who engaged with self-help internet delivered CBT – the first line of recommended treatment in the UK for mild to moderate depression. Before starting treatment, participants performed a reinforcement learning task, where on each trial they chose from two options and had to figure out which option was the most rewarding based on feedback information. Brain activity was recorded using fMRI while subjects performed the task inside an MRI scanner. The researchers then fitted mathematical models to the observed choice behaviour and used the best fitting model to analyse fMRI data.

Importantly, rather than focusing only on group differences between CBT responders and non-responders the authors tested whether the brain activity of individual subjects could predict response to CBT.

Dr Filippo Queirazza, lead author of the paper from the University of Glasgow’s Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, said: “So far most fMRI studies that have looked for a brain signature of treatment response in depression have reported on average differences between responders and non-responders and then assumed that these differences generalise to each individual but this may not be the case. In our study, we show that fMRI activity classifies CBT response at the individual level, with around 80% predictive power.

Dr Marios Philiastides, senior author of the paper, said: “We explicitly model the mechanisms of treatment response to uncover brain activity that predicts CBT response. While this approach has the potential to enhance the predictive power of imaging biomarkers it can also provide important insights into novel targets for drug development.”

Brain activity may help predict success of cognitive behavioural therapy in depression

75% of asthma sufferers unable to work to their full potential

31st July 2019

A multi-national survey has revealed that asthma sufferers are missing nearly one-tenth of work hours due to their symptoms, which also results in a loss of productivity and affects their emotional wellbeing.

This new research, published in the Journal of Asthma and Allergy, surveyed over 1500 symptomatic asthma patients across six countries and found that, on average three out of four workers could not work to their full potential.

Further, the survey indicated that asthma impacted the respondent’s emotional well-being, including mental strain and embarrassment. A research team, led by Dr Kevin Gruffydd-Jones from Box Surgery, Wiltshire, UK, invited a random selection of participants from Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan, Spain and the UK to participate in an online ‘Work Productivity and Activity Impairment – Specific Health Problem’ survey developed by Research Now^® (London, UK).

The survey quantified the impact of asthma on work time missed, loss of productivity while working and total work productivity loss for the seven days prior to the survey.

In addition, the questionnaire asked the open-ended question, “How does your asthma at work make you feel?” to judge the impact of a patient’s asthma symptoms on their emotional well-being at work.

Respondents were selected to participate in the survey if they were over 18 years old, diagnosed with asthma by a healthcare professional, currently employed full- or part-time and a long-term user of a controller inhaler or preventative medication.

A total of 1598 symptomatic patients completed the 5-minute survey between April and September 2015. The study results found that, on average, up to one-tenth (9.3%) of work hours were missed in a single week because of workers’ asthma symptoms.

This averaged out to 5.4 work hours missed for both part- and full-time employees. Further, roughly three out of four (74%) workers reported being unable to work to their full potential because of their asthma, with 42% of workers experiencing a ‘prominent’ reduction in productivity.

Workers commonly reported feeling challenged by respiratory symptoms, as well as tiredness/weakness, mental strain and physical impairments. Overall, total work productivity dropped by one third (36%) due to asthma. “But, what struck us most was the emotional response to asthma in the workplace,” explains Dr Gruffydd-Jones.

“A significant number of patients felt guilt, shame and embarrassment when using inhalers at work.”

Respondents also reported feeling inferior and disadvantaged compared to their non-symptomatic colleagues, and over two-thirds of respondents felt that asthma negatively impacted their work activities.

Despite capturing a one-week snapshot from a working year only, without comparison with asymptomatic patients or personnel with no asthma, this study highlights the global issue of asthma in the workplace, its impact on productivity and the personal challenges it causes workers.

The solution, Dr Gruffydd-Jones explains, requires a coordinated approach by clinicians, employers and occupational health teams.

“Clinicians must ask patients about the impact of asthma on their work and employers must encourage their workers to seek medical help and provide an ‘asthma friendly’ environment.

“This requires not only providing appropriate environmental controls but also a working environment that minimises embarrassment, such as allowing to staff to move out of the immediate work environment to use their inhalers.”

75% of asthma sufferers unable to work to their full potential

Boost for MS and Parkinson’s research as charities pump £3 million into UK brain bank

30th July 2019

Two leading neurological charities have announced £3 million of funding for Europe’s largest brain and tissue bank, based in London.

The funds from the MS Society and Parkinson’s UK will enable an all-new digital brain bank, ambitious virtual reality initiative, and new research projects, which could help researchers finally stop multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson’s for good.

The new digital brain bank, complete with virtual reality interface, will be based at the MS and Parkinson’s Tissue Bank at Imperial College London, and will enable scientists from around the world to access brains virtually, making research more effective and efficient.

The charities will continue to fund the existing infrastructure of the Tissue Bank – already the largest repository of MS and Parkinson’s brain and spinal cord tissue in Europe – which has shared over 100,000 samples with scientists since it opened 20 years ago, leading to more than 700 research projects worldwide.

Combined, MS and Parkinson’s affect more than 248,000 people in the UK. Current treatments do not stop, slow or reverse either of the conditions.

MS Society Head of Biomedical Research, Dr Sorrel Bickley, said: “The MS Society Tissue Bank has been vital in improving our understanding of MS and finding treatments for some people with the condition. But our top priority now is finding treatments to slow or stop MS for everyone.

“We can see a future where nobody needs to worry about MS getting worse, but for that to happen we urgently need to find treatments that repair myelin – the protective layer that surrounds our nerves, which is damaged in MS – stop inflammation in the brain, and protect nerves from damage. This funding will allow researchers to operate as effectively as possible, and ultimately help us stop MS faster.”

Professor David Dexter, Deputy Director of Research at Parkinson’s UK, said: “The Parkinson’s UK Brain Bank has played a vital role in advancing our understanding of Parkinson’s so far. Through these new technological initiatives, we will be able to expand the reach and impact of the bank, and enable the best researchers from across the world to study the samples.

“This holds huge potential for speeding up access to better treatments and ultimately a cure for the 148,000 people with Parkinson’s in the UK. In addition to providing tissue to researchers worldwide, this project will now also give them access to an immense library of tissue images that can be studied indefinitely.” Sharing and storing tissue samples in this way means each individual brain can be used more extensively, benefitting future projects as well as current ones.

The digital brain bank will also incorporate a 3D interactive section that allows people to explore the virtual brain. Virtual visits will enable potential donors in particular to understand the purpose of the Tissue Bank, how it operates, and what happens to tissue once donated, helping them make fully informed decisions.

Both charities will contribute £1,534,543 each over five years to this and other projects at the Tissue Bank, including work to help establish how a person’s genetic make-up influences how their MS or Parkinson’s develops. This involves linking tissue samples to genetic information, so researchers have a fuller picture of the donor behind each sample.

Deborah Burrows’ husband David was diagnosed with Parkinson’s over ten years ago. When he passed away he left his brain to the brain bank.

Deborah, who lives in Slough, explains: “Right from the start, David said he wanted to donate his brain to research. I was pleased — this was typical of David as he always wanted to help others. He worked as a car mechanic, and would always (sometimes literally) go that extra mile for people.

“I feel so proud of David for his decision — he is a real inspiration to me. One brain can provide around 250 samples that can be used in many different research projects. So David is still helping people now — by ensuring that research to find better treatments for people with Parkinson’s can continue.”

Professor Richard Nicholas is the newly appointed Scientific Director of MS studies at the Tissue Bank, taking the helm from Professor Richard Reynolds, who personally collected the first brain in 1998.

Professor Nicholas says: “MS is relentless, painful, and disabling, and when the Tissue Bank first opened in 1998 there were practically no treatments for those affected. Things are very different now and it’s a privilege to have the support of organisations like the MS Society and Parkinson’s, which do everything they can to ensure the work of the scientific community reflects the needs of people living with the neurological conditions.

“The charities recognise that if we’re going to revolutionise the way these conditions are treated – and find treatments for everyone – scientists need the right tools. This investment will ensure all researchers have access to high quality brain and spinal cord tissue from people with MS and Parkinson’s, and marks an important development in the UK research landscape. We’re excited to see where it takes us.”

The MS Society is the UK’s biggest charitable funder of MS research, bringing together people living with MS and those researching the condition. For more information visit www.mssociety.org.uk.

Parkinson’s UK is the UK’s largest Parkinson’s research and support charity. Its mission is to find a cure and improve life for everyone affected by Parkinson’s through cutting edge research, information, support and campaigning. For advice, information and support, visit www.parkinsons.org.uk.

Boost for MS and Parkinson’s research as charities pump £3 million into UK brain bank