Alzheimer’s Research UK has appointed the former executive director of research and external affairs at the MS Society as its new director of research.
Dr Susan Kohlhaas will be responsible for developing the charity’s research strategy to help bring about a life-changing dementia treatment in the next five years.
Kohlhaas began her career at the MS Society in 2009, moving from research communications officer to head of biomedical research.
She moved to serve as head of strategic planning and initiatives at Cancer Research UK in 2016, before returning to the MS Society in 2017.
During her three years heading research at the MS Society, Kohlhaas was responsible for successfully designing and implementing the research strategy attached to its £100m Stop MS Appeal, and led the charity’s work on several UK-based and international partnerships.
Kohlhaas, who joined ARUK this month, said: “Like so many others, I have been personally affected by dementia and have seen the devastating impact it can have on families.
“There’s a fantastic research community committed to finding treatments and prevention strategies for people with dementia and I’m thrilled to be in a position to help drive progress. I’m feeling very optimistic about the future.”
Ian Wilson, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has put medical research charities like Alzheimer’s Research UK under significant strain, but with Susan’s experience and our incredible supporters by our side, we are in a good position to maintain the momentum we built under the leadership of our previous director of research, Dr Carol Routledge,” he said.