Archives: Successes

Brian Litt, M.D.

Could a child with epilepsy be given a pill containing an all-but invisible therapeutic device programmed to travel to specific cells in his brain and, once there, be “pinged” into action to repair the damaged cells? Quite possibly, says Brian Litt, M.D.

We believe that treatments with nanodevices have the potential to dramatically improve treatment of some of the most common neurological and psychiatric illnesses by addressing the underlying causes. Brian Litt, M.D. Epilepsy and many other common brain disorders are caused by localized problems ...

Cynthia LaBella, M.D.

Brain Research Foundation Awards Grant to Study Concussive Events Among Grade School Children

The Brain Research Foundation (BRF) is supporting research that aims to improve pediatricians’ ability to evaluate and manage sports-related concussive injuries among young children, and guide future research regarding the diagnosis, treatment and long term effects of these events. In...

Peter Penzes, Ph.D

2011 BRF Seed Grant Leads to $3 Million in NIH Funding

Exactly why autism occurs in one child and not another is unknown to scientists, although scientific evidence suggests that autism may be caused by a malfunction of the connections, or synapses, between brain cells.

Jeff Beeler, Ph.D., Xiaoxi Zhuang, Ph.D.

BRF Funding Advances Science and Research Careers

As National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding has dropped by one-third over the past ten years, research support from non-profit organizations like the Brain Research Foundation has become more critical than ever. Tomorrow’s major breakthroughs in the prevention and treatment of neurologic...

Agnieszka A. Ardelt, M.D., Ph.D.

Her investigations into neurorepair will support Dr. Ardelt’s clinical work with stroke patients and also have the potential to advance the treatment of other brain disorders.

Dr. Ardelt’s hope is that her work will not only help patients recover from strokes more readily but that it will help individuals with other brain disorders like multiple sclerosis.

Peter Penzes, Ph.D.

Insight from Dr. Penzes’ research work to help scientists understand how connections in brain cells are disrupted in autism, and may uncover a viable therapeutic target that has real potential as an orally administered drug.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a physical condition that affects children at an alarmingly high rate. One in 110 children will be diagnosed with autism. Abnormal social interaction, language difficulties and repetitive actions are all characteristics of autistic behavior. Autism also impairs a...

Orly Lazarov, Ph.D

Dr. Lazarov’s investigation of neurogenesis in adult stem cells has led to greater understanding of Alzheimer’s disease.

When Dr. Orly Lazarov sought to understand certain cellular processes associated with the aging brain, she entered uncharted territory. With only a few milestones to guide her, Dr. Lazarov has navigated a new path of understanding about how a deficiency in a protein indicates a lack of new cellul...

Dane M. Chetkovich, M.D., Ph.D.

BRF-funded seed grant research has led Dr. Chetkovich to exponential advancements not just in his study of epilepsy but other researchers’ understanding of both epilepsy and mood disorders as well.

The Foundation’s initial $40,000 investment into epilepsy research has the potential to generate over 40 times more in additional funding.

Wei Min, Ph.D.

Protein metabolism plays a key regulatory role in the nervous system, in both health and disease. Learning and memory functions in particular require ongoing synthesis of new proteins. With a grant from Brain Research Foundation, researchers at Columbia University learned more about this crucial and mysterious process.

The nervous system is a very busy place. Wei Min, Ph.D., and colleagues are trying to determine specifically how busy protein molecules are, and exactly how they function.

Paul Greengard, Ph.D.

A 2000 Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Greengard is developing innovative technology that will lead to better understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) inhibits movement, causes tremors, and may lead to early death. Parkinson’s disease is incurable and worsens over time. The medications that are prescribed for PD attempt to control the symptoms of the disease. No drugs yet exist to slow or stop the inevitable...

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