As Professor of Cognitive Neurology James studies the mechanisms and treatment of dementias, including the primary tauopathies of frontotemporal dementia, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, corticobasal syndrome. He trained in medical sciences and experimental psychology at Cambridge (BA), before clinical training (MD) in Oxford and his PhD at UCL, London. After specialist training in London and Copenhagen, he returned to Cambridge where he now leads the Dementia theme of the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, and directs the Cambridge Centre for Frontotemporal Dementia. He is clinical lead in the Centre for Parkinson-plus, Chief Scientific Adviser to Alzheimer’s Research UK, and serves on the SAB for the Neurodegeneration Initiative within the Dementia Goals Program. His scientific work has been published in ~600 peer-reviewed articles, bringing together deep-phenotyping, brain imaging, genetics, computational modelling, pharmacology and cognitive neuroscience to understand the mechanisms of disease, as the pathway to new treatments. He is an active clinical neurologist, which underlies his commitment to research relevant to the needs of people affected by dementia.