The research into dementia led by Professor Myra Conway is part of our Parner Charities programme. We made our fifth grant in July 2024 bringing the total since 2019 to over £45,000 primarily to fund much needed specialist equipment.
We asked Dr Roshita Edward, a key member of Myra’s team, to update us on progress. This is what Rosh had to say.

“The Conway Research group, led by Prof. Myra Conway, has worked for many years to better understand the pathology of Dementia in humans. Recent data suggests that there are over 980,000 people living in the UK with a dementia diagnosis, with the number projected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040. A report produced by the Alzheimers Society gives a comprehensive picture of this disease. Dementia describes a group of neurodegenerative conditions that result in the loss of cognitive capacity in patients. This can take the form of periods of memory loss, lack of spatial awareness, changes in temperament and increased confusion. Dementia, which includes Alzheimer’s disease (AD), have a profound impact on the lives of patients, their families and the NHS, highlighting an urgent need for research into the disease.

The Conway Group’s research ultimately aims to uncover a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms that cause dementia, which will offer novel therapeutic targets and insight into clearer diagnostic outcomes. A metabolic protein called the branched chain aminotransferase protein (BCAT), which normally has a role in the breakdown of dietary amino acids in our cells, is significantly increased in the brain of subjects with AD. Our research has shown that under conditions that contribute to the build-up of toxic aggregates in the brain, this protein carries out different functions that moves from a neuroprotective role to one that is neurotoxic. Our models of AD, show that these alternative pathways are in overdrive when the level of BCAT is sustained, supporting a role for this protein in contributing to AD pathology.

Specifically, work carried out by PhD student Marie Lush and Dr. Marcela Usmari Moraes have found that there is a link between type 2 diabetes and an increase in neuronal oxidative stress that is facilitated through the reprogramming of BCAT activity, ultimately resulting in an increase in markers of AD pathology. Another exciting project in the Conway group is the discovery that BCAT has a novel role in a cell recycling mechanism called autophagy, which has been shown to be malfunctioning in AD models. Work by Dr. Matt Harris and Dr. Roshita Edward has shown that autophagy, a process that acts as the recycling system of the cell, is dysregulated in response to high levels of BCAT, as observed in AD brain. By understanding the role of BCAT in autophagy, the Conway group have discovered a novel mechanism that controls autophagy, linked to aggregate build up, similar to that seen in AD patient brains. This research has now been developed into further PhD projects currently under PhD student Jake Abbott. The new equipment provides the ability to accelerate the pace of work that contributes to these outputs, which aim to ultimately delay disease onset, allowing patients to live fuller, healthier lives for longer.“
We are delighted to support Myra and her team in these important research challenges. Being a Partner Charity means we both focus on developing a long term relationship. Our shared objective is to make meaningful progress that will ultimately improve the lives of those suffering with dementia.