A SCIENTIST from Oxford University who spends her days looking for a cure to Alzheimer's is going the extra mile to beat the disease.

Francesca Nicholls, 31, has seen first-hand the research supported by Alzheimer's Research UK at the Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, which was set up in 2015 to fast-track the development of new dementia treatments.

Now the researcher is gearing up to join hundreds at Race the Tide, a non-stop 30-hour endurance event along the beautiful St Cuthbert's Way route in Northumbria.

Following the overnight hike on Saturday, August 27 she will aim to cross the finish line on the ancient Holy Island of Lindisfarne, which can only be reached in low tide.

She said: "I first heard about the challenge when I was attending the Alzheimer’s Research UK Conference in spring, and thought it sounded brilliant.

"The idea of trying to beat the tide really appealed to me, and so did the fact that it’s a walking challenge, as I’m not really a runner."

In Oxford, Dr Nicholls and her team are currently turning skin or hair cells donated by people with Alzheimer's disease into working nerve cells, to use them as a model to test potential new treatments.

Work at the Institute, in the heart of the University's Biomedical and Health Research campus, is funded by Alzheimer's Research UK.

Dr Nicholls added: "They’ve hired some fantastic people and it’s a really exciting atmosphere where everyone is pulling together to apply the best research techniques.

"I’m passionate about finding effective treatments for people with dementia, but since working here I’ve become acutely aware of how much funding is needed."

The intrepid scientist has begun training by walking around the Oxfordshire countryside, and has already worn through a pair of walking boots.

She said: "I enjoy long walks but when you get past six hours or so you really want to stop, so I’m expecting it to be a real mental challenge."

So far Dr Nicholls has raised £732 of an initial £800 fundraising target which she now hopes to exceed.

All cash raised through sponsorship will go straight to Alzheimer's Research UK, which supports pioneering research projects into the neurodegenerative disease.

Corporate fundraising manager Jade Rolph said: “We’re delighted that Francesca is joining us for Race the Tide. It’s a big challenge but we know it will be a fantastic event with a hugely committed group of fundraisers.

"The money raised will be able to help provide vital equipment and resources for our scientists, bringing new treatments and preventions for dementia ever closer.

“With 850,000 people currently living with dementia in the UK, including more than 8,000 people in Oxfordshire alone, the need for research to defeat the condition has never been more urgent. Scientists like Francesca are leading the way in the search for new treatments, but we rely on the public to be able to fund this work."

For more information or to donate visit justgiving.com/fundraising/FrancescaJNicholls