Neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s/Alzheimer’s diseases and Multiple Sclerosis exert a heavy toll on human health. As the global population ages, neurodegenerative diseases are sadly predicted to become increasingly prevalent. Unfortunately, treatment is particularly challenging because of the need to deliver drugs into the brain, which is protected by the blood-brain barrier. It has been suggested that targeted delivery of drugs is an effective approach. Recent work in our laboratory has developed drug-loaded gels that may be ideal for targeted drug delivery – we therefore intend to translate our fundamental research into pre-clinical studies to demonstrate efficacy. We will develop self-assembled hydrogels loaded with key drugs (dopamine, L-dopa, rivastigmine) and then test their capacity for delivery in animal model systems in collaboration with King’s College London. Favourable results from these early-stage translational studies would underpin applications for a fuller programme of pre-clinical/clinical research using these materials to treat neurodegenerative disease.