D1.6 Map of relevant initiatives and gap analysis v2

There are many research activities focused on Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases in the global research landscape. This deliverable aimed to map neurodegenerative disease research initiatives based on their strategic importance and carry out a gap analysis to identify gaps in our understanding of the evidence base and areas to prioritise for future research.
Using a framework of strategic importance, a survey was carried out of researchers to rate a list of initiatives on several variables and to add any initiatives they are aware of that are not on the list. People living with dementia and their supporters and health technology assessment and regulatory experts were consulted on gaps both generally and within the IMI neurodegenerative disease research portfolio and asked to identify priorities for future research.
The results of the mapping and gap analysis show that while there seems to be a busy landscape of neurodegenerative disease research, there is a need for better management, co-ordination, and communication of initiatives to achieve more impact. Furthermore, there are several gaps/areas where more research focus is needed to address the needs of various stakeholders, particularly those who are recipients of research outputs.