Our Interdisciplinary Centres

Our research is strategically organised around a number of research centres, including our (often philanthropically-funded) interdisciplinary centres that bring together researchers, patients and social scientists:

Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre

This centre, hosted by the University of Edinburgh, provides a high-quality research environment for investigations into the causes and treatment of dementia, and the care provided by relatives and friends. It aims to commission and build a balanced portfolio of scientific and clinical research and develop and maintain a dementia brain tissue bank. Director: John Starr, Honoray Professor of Health & Ageing

Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic

This research facility focuses on a wide range of neurological conditions, especially neurodegenerative diseases which represent one of the major public health threats in the industrialised world. These diseases include multiple sclerosis (MS), motor neurone disease (MND or ALS), Parkinson's disease and related conditions, and dementias. It aims to improve patients' lives through research: translating laboratory findings into clinical trials and ultimately, new therapies. Director: Siddharthan Chandran, MacDonald Professor of Neurology

Centre for Cognitive Ageing & Cognitive Epidemiology

This MRC and BBSRC core-funded centre has 6 main research groupings: cognitive epidemiology; human cognitive ageing; neuroendocrine aspects of ageing; animal models of cognitive ageing and neural health; human and animal brain imaging; genetics and statistics of brain ageing. Director: Ian Deary, Professor of Differential Psychology

Centre for Dementia Prevention

Brings together clinical, basic science and social science expertise to understand and reduce risk associated with dementia. Directors: Craig Ritchie (clinical), Professor of Ageing Psychaitry, Jean Manson (pre-clinical), Professor or Neurobiology, Charlotte Clarke (social science), Professor of Health in Social Science

Euan MacDonald Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Research

Brings together 30 researchers across Scotland seeking to improve the lives of patients living with MND through fundamental discovery research as well as a growing portfolio of patient-centred research projects. Director: Siddharthan Chandran, MacDonald Professor of Neurology

Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre

This centre has been established with the generous help of the Muir Maxwell Trust, one of the UK’s leading charities supporting paediatric epilepsy.  It aims to investigate the causes of childhood epilepsy and to develop new treatments and public health strategies. Directors: Dr Richard Chin (clinical), Clinical Senior Lecturer in Paediatric Neuroscience, and Mike Cousin (pre-clinical), Professor of Neuronal Cell Biology

Patrick Wild Centre for Research into Autism, Fragile X Syndrome, and Intellectual Disabilities

Its mission is to understand the neurological basis of, and to test new therapies for, autism, Fragile X Syndrome and intellectual disabilities by fostering collaborations between world-class basic science and clinical research at The University of Edinburgh. Directors: Dr Andy Standfield (clinical) and Peter Kind (pre-clinical), Professor of Developmental Neuroscience

Row Fogo Centre for Research into Ageing and the Brain

Director: Joanna Wardlaw, Professor of Applied Neuroimaging

Photograph of patient
Bringing together patients, clinicians, social scientists and researchers
Photograph of researchers working
Informing research to transform treatment
Confocal images or cultured neurones and glia
Using cutting-edge technologies to advance research

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