Apply for funding
Please see below for the latest information on our targeted funding programmes.
Image credit: Dementia Research Centre, Institute of Neurology, UCLLewy Body Dementia 2026 Programme
Programme launch: 1 October 2026
Letter of Intent deadline: 17 November 2026
The Lewy Body Dementia 2026 Programme provides catalyst funding for high-risk, high-reward translational research focused on biomarkers and symptom-focused treatments for Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and Parkinson’s Disease Dementia (PDD).
Who can apply
Applicants must be affiliated with an eligible charitable or academic institution in the UK or Ireland. Principal applicants must be at or above the level of lecturer, assistant professor or equivalent, hold an appointment at the institution through which they are applying.
Projects of interest
- Biomarker projects focused on the development, validation, clinical translation or implementation of defined biomarkers for DLB and/or PDD. Priorities include diagnosis or differential diagnosis, prognosis or disease progression, biomarkers related to cognitive impairment and cognitive fluctuations, patient stratification for clinical trials, and prediction or measurement of treatment response.
- Treatment projects focused on interventions that directly reduce the burden or severity of selected cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms, specifically cognitive impairment and cognitive fluctuations; hallucinations, delusions and psychosis; and apathy.
- Trial-linked projects, including eligible biomarker sub-studies and small early-phase clinical studies, where the Foundation-supported component is clearly defined.
All projects must be supported by preliminary evidence.
Basic or fundamental research is not eligible.
Funding available
Two funding tiers are available:
- Tier 1: Up to £350,000 in total for proof-of-concept and early validation studies.
- Tier 2: Up to £750,000 in total for later-stage biomarker validation, clinical translation or implementation, or early-stage clinical treatment studies.
Projects may be funded for a maximum of three years.
How to apply
Applicants should review the Programme Guide below for full details on Programme scope, eligibility, funding specifications, examples of projects that are in and out of scope, review criteria and other terms.
To apply, please submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) through the Foundation's online grants management system.
Questions
We welcome questions from prospective applicants, including questions about eligibility or whether a proposed project fits the scope of the Programme. Please contact Teenu Sanjeevan, Director, Neuroscience at contact@galenhilarywestonfoundation.org
Relevant documents:
Characterisation of Novel Biomarkers for Neurodegenerative Diseases of Ageing 2026 Programme
Status: The application window for this programme is now closed. The Letter of Intent deadline was 2 April 2026. Thank you to everyone who submitted an application; award announcements will be shared here soon.
One of our research funding programmes for 2026 focuses on the development of novel biomarkers that are intended to improve the treatment, and accelerate the development, of new therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases of ageing (NDAs).
We define novel biomarkers as those that are not approved for clinical use and have been insufficiently studied. These biomarkers must have the potential to be used in the diagnosis of, prognosis of (including rate of progression), efficient conduct of clinical trials for, and/or determination of treatment response in these diseases.
Three projects were awarded through the Novel Biomarkers 2024 Programme. To learn more about these projects, click here.
Funding was available at two tiers: (1) up to £350,000 for proof-of-concept and early validation studies and (2) up to £750,000 for later-stage validation or small scale-up studies.
For historical reference regarding application criteria, funding eligibility, diseases within our remit, and our intellectual property policy, you can still access our programme guide below.
We welcome you to contact us with any program-related inquiries. Please send your questions to Teenu Sanjeevan, Director, Neuroscience at contact@galenhilarywestonfoundation.org
Relevant documents: