Professor Linda Clare

Linda Clare is Professor of Clinical Psychology of Ageing and Dementia at the University of Exeter Medical School. Trained as a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist, she leads the University’s Centre for Research in Ageing and Cognitive Health (REACH). She is Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Policy Research Unit in Dementia and Neurodegeneration (DeNPRU Exeter), and dementia theme lead for the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South-West Peninsula (PenARC). 

Linda’s research aims to improve the lives of people who are living with dementia and neurodegenerative conditions through a focus on promoting well-being, developing rehabilitative approaches to optimise functional ability and independence, and supporting family care. She leads both large observational studies and intervention trials and is particularly known for pioneering the application of cognitive rehabilitation approaches for people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. She is chief investigator for the IDEAL cohort study of people with dementia and carers, which focuses on what makes it possible to experience a good quality of life with the condition, and leads the Alzheimer’s Society Centre of Excellence related to this programme. 

Linda’s research team includes postdoctoral researcher Dr Anthony Martyr. Her group also includes Dr Sara Hayes, the Operations Manager for DeNPRU Exeter; Dr Catherine Charlwood, Stakeholder Engagement and Impact Manager for DeNPRU Exeter; Emma Walter, the Administrator for DeNPRU Exeter; and Sarah Vinnels, PA.

Linda completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Cambridge, trained as a clinical psychologist at University College London, and undertook further training in clinical neuropsychology. She gained her PhD while working at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. Linda was a lecturer on the clinical psychology doctoral programme at University College London from 1999 to 2003. In 2004 she moved to Bangor University where she was awarded a personal chair in 2008. She joined the University of Exeter in 2015.