Neurological diseases, including dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and stroke are amongst the world’s most important health challenges. Accounting for 13% of global disease prevalence, neurological  diseases surpass cardiovascular diseases and cancer, but there are still few, if any effective treatments. 

The Queen Square Institute of Neurology’s mission is to translate discovery research into treatments for patients with neurological diseases. In 2013, rising to the UCL 2034 global challenge agenda, we pledged to address this global health challenge by combining UCL’s discovery and applied scientific strengths in a unique interdisciplinary, partnership environment. 

As a global leader in pioneering research into neurological diseases and one of the largest neuroscience communities in the world with over 450 principal investigators carrying out neuroscience research at UCL, we wanted to enhance our research power with the multidisciplinary clinical expertise of the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN).

Our aim is to be the leading translational neuroscience centre in the world, translating discovery into life-changing treatments for patients with neurological diseases and to train the next generation of translational neuroscientists. 

In order to achieve this, we needed a specially-designed and purpose-built facility and a programme of collaborative and more efficient ways of working that could deliver our mission. In 2017, when the Eastman Dental Hospital former site became available, following a consultation process, plans were approved to create a dual hub for neuroscience at UCL, starting work on a new building at 256 Grays Inn Road and retaining some facilities at Queen Square House - to take advantage of the co-location of world-class clinical and academic expertise at UCL and the NHNN at Queen Square.