Bristol centre storing brains for dementia research could shut

The brain bank does not receive government or NHS funding

A "vital" centre which stores brains for dementia research is at risk of closing.

Staff at the South West Dementia Brain Bank, based at Southmead Hospital in Bristol, are at risk of losing their jobs.

The bank does not receive government or NHS funding and relies on charities to pay salaries.

Dementia research charity BRACE has started a fundraiser to help secure the future of the brain bank.

The centre is one of only six in England and stores donated brains for use in medical research.

Dr Laura Palmer, who runs the brain bank, said: "One donation, although it has a high cost, could benefit hundreds of different areas of research."

She said it costed about £10,000 to store one brain for around five years, and the centre had more than 1,200 brain donations.

'Always a danger'

Chris Williams, director of BRACE, said there were about one million people currently living with dementia in the UK without a cure.

"The only way we can tackle this issue is through research.

"Laura's work at the brain bank is vital to this global mission of finding a cure," he said.

He added that "thousands of research papers" were published using donated tissue from the Bristol brain bank.

Dr Palmer said that while there was "always a danger" of the research ending due to a lack of funding, the current cost of living crisis and a drop in donations were putting her job at risk.

"We have made a commitment to our donors and their families," she said.

The fundraiser has raised more than £17,000 so far.