The UK’s Answer to Darpa Wants to Rewire the Human Brain
The UK's Advanced Research and Innovation Agency (ARIA) is investing £69 million of its £1 billion budget into developing precise neurotechnologies to treat brain disorders like epilepsy and Alzheimer’s by targeting faulty brain circuits. The agency, modeled on the US’s Darpa, is funding 19 research teams exploring non-invasive and implant-based technologies such as ultrasound and deep brain stimulation. Officials believe these tools could become platform therapies for a range of neurological and psychiatric conditions. While full results may take years, ARIA aims to demonstrate early societal impact by the early 2030s to secure continued government support.
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David CoxScienceApr 28, 2026 1:58 PMThe UK’s Answer to Darpa Wants to Rewire the Human BrainARIA has a billion-dollar budget and big aspirations for tackling everything from epilepsy to Alzheimer's.Photograph: FERNANDO BRAZCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyThe UK’s Advanced Research and Innovation Agency (ARIA) was established in 2023 with the goal of pursuing “high-risk, high-reward” moonshots in sectors ranging from bolstering food security to new ways of ramping up human immunity.With more than £1 billion (about $1.3 billion) worth of government funding earmarked between now and 2030, one of ARIA’s most ambitious programs is a £69 million initiative that aims to develop more tailored ways of modulating the human brain.
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