THE International Conference Centre (ICC) Wales - currently being built at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport - will host Alzheimer's Disease experts from the UK and beyond in 2020, in one of the first confirmed gatherings to be held at the venue.

The UK’s largest dementia research conference, the Alzheimer's Research UK Conference, will be held at ICC Wales in March 2020.

And Alzheimer's Research UK's head of research Dr Rosa Sancho, said the organisation is excited to be bringing its ever-growing flagship event to what promises to be a "fantastic" venue.

The two-day annual national conference will welcome dementia researchers from across the UK and beyond.

Building work on the ICC Wales site began earlier this year, and the £83.7m venue is set to open in July 2019.

The Alzheimer’s Research UK Conference will feature a range of presentations from researchers and clinicians.

It also provides a forum for researchers to hear the latest investigative findings into Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, from discoveries in the laboratory, to clinical perspectives.

ICC Wales chief executive Ian Edwards said the centre has positioned itself as a key venue "for major conferences such as this."

"With less than two years to go until we open the doors, we are delighted to have another major win under our belt," he added.

Dr Sancho said the first Alzheimer's Research UK conference in 2000 had just 12 delegates, but now attracts around 500 researchers each year.

"The conference has become a premier event for researchers to share their work," she said.

"We are excited to bring the conference to Wales, and to this fantastic new venue.”