THE growing status of the region as a centre for research into Alzheimer's disease has been strengthened by a major grant.

The Alzheimer's Research Trust, the leading UK charity in its field, is providing Newcastle University with an £80,000 DNA analyser.

It is hoped that the equipment will lead to improvements in the treatments available to North-East patients.

This follows the unveiling of the Roland Boyes imaging suite, opened at the university last year in honour of the former Washington and Houghton MP Roland Boyes, who suffers from Alzheimer's.

Mr Boyes and his wife, Pat, who live in Peterlee, County Durham, raised £30,000 towards the cost of the equipment.

The charity was so impressed with the success of the suite that it has now established a scheme to fund essential scientific equipment.

Newcastle University is the first research centre to receive funding from this scheme.

Dr Patrick Chinnery, from Newcastle University, said: "We have been producing some exciting results in Alzheimer's research. However, the existing equipment was restricting our progress.

"This new equipment will enable us to investigate genetic factors for dementia and should accelerate the results of our research. We look forward to the impact that it will have on our work."

An Alzheimer's Research Trust spokeswoman said: "Dr Chinnery put forward an excellent application and we are thrilled to be able to fund this equipment at Newcastle University, which is a leading centre in Alzheimer's research.

"There is a real shortage of equipment which can greatly accelerate results and extend the research that can be carried out."