Innovative clinical trial leverages focused ultrasound technology to address cognitive decline in Lewy body dementia patients London, UK, (January 21, 2025)—The UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation and Race Against Dementia are pleased to announce their first collaborative initiative to fund a groundbreaking research project exploring the role of noninvasive focused ultrasound in improving cognition in patients with Lewy body dementia (LBD). LBD, which includes Parkinson’s disease dementia and dementia with Lewy bodies, is a debilitating condition marked by progressive memory and attention impairment. Race Against Dementia is a charity founded by three-time world champion racing driver Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, their mission is to fund research to find cures and preventions for dementia. This project has been funded as part of Race Against Dementia’s £4.2 million funding programme run in partnership with, medical research charity, Rosetrees Trust. Through this programme Race Against Dementia has awarded grants of up to £750,000 to six exceptional research teams from across the UK. These teams will accelerate the search for preventions and cures for dementia, focusing on fresh ideas and disruptive approaches. LBD accounts for 15 percent of all dementia cases yet remains significantly under-researched with limited treatment options. Many of the symptoms of LBD are believed to be caused by the progressive loss of brain cells that produce a chemical messenger called acetylcholine. Patients experience a progressive decline in cognition and daily functioning, highlighting the urgent need for innovative therapies. The project, titled, Improving cognition in Lewy body dementia using focused ultrasound, will be overseen by Dr Ashwini Oswal, MD, MRC Clinician Scientist Fellow at the University of Oxford, along with a research team of six other experts from the University of Oxford and University College London. The team will leverage recent advances in non-invasive brain stimulation techniques using low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) which has been shown to be safe, effective, precise, and holds the promise of improving cognition and memory. As part of the study, 30 participants will undergo LIFU treatment. This marks the first time focused ultrasound neuromodulation will be used in a clinical trial for LBD. Researchers will test for target engagement with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), allowing them to better understand the impact of LIFU on brain activity in patients. The collaboration also strengthens ties between the University of Oxford and University College London, enabling the research team to utilise cutting-edge infrastructure, including diagnostic, neuroimaging, and ultrasound facilities. “Our partnership with Race Against Dementia highlights the power of collaboration in addressing urgent neurodegenerative conditions like Lewy body dementia,” said Philip Keevil, MA, (Oxon), MBA, FRSA, chairman and trustee of the UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation. “By combining advanced technology with expert researchers, we’re striving to address the unmet needs of patients with Lewy body dementia and pioneer new therapeutic treatments, offering hope to patients and their families.” “Fast paced technology is the backbone of Formula 1, it drives performance, safety, and precision,” said Sir Jackie Stewart, OBE, founder of Race Against Dementia. “Partnering with the Focused Ultrasound Foundation will enhance our endeavours to apply the same high-tech approach to dementia research and their focus on cutting-edge technology, will allow for the acceleration of solutions.” About Focused UltrasoundFocused ultrasound uses ultrasound energy guided by real-time imaging to treat tissue deep in the body without incisions or radiation. There are currently 34 indications in various stages of development in the UK and more than 180 worldwide, including Alzheimer’s disease and tumours of the brain, liver, breast, and pancreas. Worldwide, 32 have regulatory approval, and in the UK, 13 have achieved CE marking. About the UK Focused Ultrasound FoundationEstablished in 2023, the UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation was created to improve the lives of millions of people worldwide by accelerating the development of this noninvasive technology. The UK Focused Ultrasound Foundation, along with its US counterpart, works to clear the path to global adoption by organising and funding research, fostering collaboration, and building awareness among patients and professionals. About the Teams ProgrammeRace Against Dementia Teams Programme identifies high potential leaders – researchers with an inventive approach. Top scientists are supported to build a talented team of scientists. Awards of up to £750,000 are made to support the team for five years. Team selection is spearheaded by Rosetrees, a UK private medical charity. Race Against Dementia trains the entire team in a Formula 1-style mindset for focus and advancement. About Rosetrees Trust Rosetrees Trust, a UK private medical charity, has supported cutting-edge research for more than 30 years, funding over 2000 research projects. Their highly successful venture philanthropy approach, pioneered by Rosetrees chairman, Richard Ross, CBE, has generated more than £1 billion in follow-on funding from organisations such as the Medical Research Council, Wellcome and Cancer Research UK. About Oxford UniversityOxford University has been placed number 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the eighth year running, and number 3 in the QS World Rankings 2024. Oxford is the highest university patent filer in the UK and is ranked first in the UK for university spinouts, having created more than 300 new companies since 1988. The university is a catalyst for prosperity in Oxfordshire and the United Kingdom, contributing £15.7 billion to the UK economy in 2018/19, and supports more than 28,000 full-time jobs.
Sophie Morse, PhD, is a research fellow at Imperial College London who specializes in using focused ultrasound for immunomodulation for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and brain tumors. She launched her research laboratory just two years ago and has already established an impressive team. We spoke with Dr. Morse about her background, research goals, and what she sees for the future of this technology. How did you get interested in focused ultrasound? The first time I was exposed to focused ultrasound was when I was choosing my PhD program. I was considering options at three different universities when I learned about a laboratory that was using ultrasound for therapy in a collaborative project between King’s College and Imperial. I couldn’t quite believe it. I had never heard of noninvasive ultrasound therapy before, and I got so excited by this being a possibility. After that, it was a done deal; I didn’t even consider the other options. Tell us about that project. It involved using ultrasound and microbubbles to disrupt the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and deliver drugs to the brain. I conducted in vivo work in Dr. James Choi’s lab at Imperial. The fact that this technique could be applied to so many diseases was exciting. What are your current areas of research? I now lead my own research group at Imperial, and we are using focused ultrasound to modulate the immune system – both in the brain and throughout the body. We’re particularly interested in modulating the innate immune cells of the brain, because these cells are often dysregulated in many different disorders. If we can modulate these cells to achieve an increased or decreased effect (i.e., try and get them back to their original state), then we could develop a powerful strategy for treating many different diseases. My team is exploring two mechanisms using focused ultrasound to attack neurological diseases. The first is employing ultrasound alone to modulate cellular activity. The second is by using focused ultrasound and microbubbles to disrupt the BBB to increase the number of peripheral immune cells that can enter the brain to help tackle the disease alongside increasing drug delivery, while potentially also modulating immune cell activity. What diseases are you currently studying? My group is divided into three parallel teams: Team One is using the technology to treat neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Beyond treatment, we are interested in the potential of using focused ultrasound to delay the onset of the disease. Team Two is concerned with discovering different ways to delay the cognitive decline that comes with aging. Team Three is tackling brain tumors, such as glioblastoma (also called GBM) and pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (also called DIPG). Who are your funding sources? I received a crucial Springboard Award from the Academy of Medical Sciences. I have also received funding from the Royal Society, the UK Dementia Research Institute, Alzheimer’s Research UK, and the NeuroMod Network funded by the Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council (a division of UK Research and Innovation). My own position is funded by an Imperial College Research Fellowship, and I’ve had summer students funded by the Focused Ultrasound Foundation’s Global Internship Program. How many people are in your laboratory? I currently have 18 people in my lab: four PhD students, two research assistants, ten master’s students, and two undergraduates. Who are your collaborators? I have a number of colleagues with whom I work closely at Imperial, including: Andriy Kozlov, PhD, is a neuroscientist and biophysicist who is also an expert in astrocytes. Periklis Pantazis, PhD, works to fluorescently label piezo1 channels, which are involved in modulating cellular activity. James Choi, PhD, has a BBB opening system and is an expert in ultrasound devices, microbubbles and simulations. Paul Matthews, MD, and Samuel Barnes, PhD, are experts in microglia and synapses. Nelofer Syed, PhD, is an expert in brain tumors. Outside of Imperial, I work with: Francois Guillemot, PhD, at the Francis Crick Institute, studies neurogenesis. We are investigating how ultrasound affects the generation of new neurons. David Bannerman, PhD, at Oxford University, a behavioral testing expert. Beyond the UK, I collaborate with teams at the Polytechnic of Milan, the Biorobotics Institute at the Sant’Ana School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, the Instituto Cajal in Madrid, and Technical University of Munich. How have you been able to make so many contacts early in your career? There are several ways, but most have been through my involvement in programs like the European Talent Academy, which introduced me to other early career researchers in Europe. I’ve also been directly reaching out to people who have expertise that I lack to work on collaborative grants so that we can carry out exciting research together. Networking at conferences has also been crucial. What have been your greatest achievements? I am very proud of my team. I have gathered an amazing group of medical doctors, physicists, engineers, biologists, and biochemists – just so much variety. They work really well in groups, but also independently, and they are incredibly enthusiastic. They have also achieved many successes. Three of my students have won best poster awards at conferences this year plus multiple travel awards. Most recently, my master’s student, Vanessa Drevenakova, received the best poster award at the International Society for Therapeutic Ultrasound conference in Taipei. In terms of personal achievements other than building this group, I have received more than 20 research awards, which have garnered exposure for my work. People – even outside of the ultrasound field – are learning about the potential for this technology. Recently, I’ve received recognition on the list of Top 50 Women in Engineering in the UK and the Women of the Future Award. It becomes a rolling of a ball where I’m excited, my students are excited, and then other people get excited. Any disappointments? There haven’t been any major disappointments, but it has been a challenging two years on a personal level. It is quite challenging to start your own lab, and everything moves slowly at the beginning. Writing grants, building a team, and creating research output, alongside ...
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Preliminary results from a clinical trial testing focused ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening with drug delivery in three patients with Alzheimer’s disease have now been published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)
