Dr Jacqui HanleySector leader

Biography

Dr Jacqui Hanley is Head of Research Funding at Alzheimer's Research UK, the UK's leading dementia research charity headquartered at Granta Park, Cambridge. She plays a key role in implementing and delivering the organisation's research strategy and response-mode funding, with a particular focus on research culture, engagement, and early career researchers. She holds a PhD in Molecular and Cellular Physiology from the University of Liverpool and previously held roles at the MS Society, Alzheimer's Society, and the University of Liverpool. She is regularly quoted in UK and international press on topics including dementia prevention, vascular risk factors, and the development of new disease-modifying treatments. She has publicly argued for a shift in Alzheimer's research towards earlier intervention and preventive approaches, and for funding portfolios that support researchers across all stages of the research journey.

References

1. 1.Profile – Dr Jacqui Hanley, Alzheimer's Research UK | Dementia Researcher (NIHR) — Role title, organisation, PhD in Molecular and Cellular Physiology from University of Liverpool, previous employers (MS Society, Alzheimer's Society, University of Liverpool), focus on research strategy and early career researchers.
2. 2.Alzheimer's Research UK launches new Programme Award and refreshed funding schemes — Current role as Head of Research Funding; her role in designing and communicating ARUK's refreshed funding portfolio including the new £1.5 million Programme Award.
3. 3.Meet the new research fellows bringing bold ideas to life – Alzheimer's Research UK — Oversight of £2.75 million Research Fellowship awards to nine early-career scientists in 2025.
4. 4.AAIC 2026: Bold approaches to tackling dementia research – Alzheimer's Research UK — Quoted in The Telegraph on the PrevenTRON trial and the shift towards preventive Alzheimer's research.

Expertise

Cited on

• Dementia

Stated areas of expertise

• Dementia research funding strategy
• Early career researcher support
• Dementia prevention and risk factors
• Vascular dementia and brain health
• Clinical fellowship and grants management
• Neuroscience research culture

Notable achievements

• Led the launch of Alzheimer's Research UK's new £1.5 million Programme Award and refreshed suite of funding schemes, creating a clearer pathway from early-stage to large-scale collaborative dementia research. Source ↗
• Oversaw the award of Research Fellowships to nine early-career scientists, representing a £2.75 million investment in the future of dementia research. Source ↗
• Chaired sessions at Alzheimer's Research UK's 2026 annual research conference in Manchester, the organisation's biggest to date with over 700 researchers attending. Source ↗
• Quoted by The Telegraph on the PrevenTRON trial, articulating the case for preventive treatment approaches to Alzheimer's disease. Source ↗

What they’ve said

• “While there is no guaranteed way to prevent dementia, research, including this study, suggests that addressing risk factors for poor cardiovascular health may also help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia”

  Head of research funding at Alzheimer's Research UK · Dementia · 12 Aug 2026 · Three middle-age health rules could bring an extra 13 years without dementia, experts say ↗

Source references

1. Three middle-age health rules could bring an extra 13 years without dementia, experts saynews.sky.com · 12 Aug 2026

Contact & links

• Staff pagehttps://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/about-us/who-we-are/our-organisation/senior-team/
• Websitehttps://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/profile-dr-jacqui-hanley-alzheimers-research-uk/
• Press office emailresearch@alzheimersresearchuk.orgpublished here ↗

Organisational contact points only, each taken from a page the organisation publishes itself. No personal or direct contact details are held or shown.