UCL is progressing an extensive programme of capital works to significantly expand the footprint of the Institute of Neurology to include a ~£250m new-build on the site of the Eastman Dental Hospital (EDH) on Gray’s Inn Road, just a few minutes’ walk from Queen Square. The new build will transform our efforts to develop the world’s leading centre for translational neuroscience in order to tackle the global health challenge of neurological diseases.
Disabling neurological conditions such as dementia, stroke, neuromuscular diseases, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy currently affect over 4 million people in the UK and account for ~13% of global disease prevalence, now surpassing cardiovascular disease and cancer. The UK annual cost is estimated to be ~£134 billion.
In line with UCL’s 2034 strategy to tackle global health challenges, this fantastic new 21st century interdisciplinary environment will enable our neuroscience teams to deeply understand disease mechanisms and translate this knowledge into new therapies in a collaborative effort termed “UCL Translational Neuroscience”. It will be an inspiring environment in which to train the next generation of translational neuroscientists and in which to maximise critical partnerships with industry, funders and philanthropists.
To enable our vision the programme of works will deliver a new “dual hub” operation. This includes retaining space in Queen Square adjacent to the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, as well as developing the new building on the EDH site which will incorporate the UK Dementia Research Institute headquarters at UCL. It is planned that most patient-based research and experimental trials will continue at Queen Square and most preclinical neuroscience will be at the EDH location. In addition, there will be a neurology outpatient and MRI Centre at the EDH location.
To emphasise the strong and successful partnership between the Institute of Neurology and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (part of UCLH NHS Trust), UCL Council recently approved a recommendation made by the UCL Institute of Neurology Executive Committee to re-brand the Institute to the "UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology".