Investing in the Next Generation of Brain Disease Researchers

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Mar 20, 2019, 16:03 ET

MINNEAPOLIS, March 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the American Brain Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2019 grants to the best and brightest early-career researchers pursuing cures for diseases and disorders of the brain. The Foundation awards these grants in partnership with prominent national brain disease organizations. A total of $2,377,000 is being awarded to 15 next generation researchers investigating 11 different diseases.

1 in 6 people is affected by brain disease—nearly 80 million Americans. The annual economic burden to American society of the nine most common brain diseases and disorders is over $800 billion. This number will continue to grow until better treatments and cures for brain diseases and disorders are discovered. It is anticipated that the annual cost of Alzheimer's disease alone will increase from $277 billion to over $1.1 trillion by 2050. That is why the American Brain Foundation invests in early-career investigators, funding their innovative clinical research to find cures for brain diseases and disorders, and helping them to build a track record of success to assure future funding from the NIH and others.

The 2019 award recipients are listed below, along with the funding partners who have made generous investments to build the next generation of brain disease researchers.

McKnight Clinical Translational Research Scholarship in Cognitive Aging and Age-Related Memory Loss – Two awarded at $150,000 over 2 years
Funded by the McKnight Brain Research Foundation through the American Brain Foundation, and the American Academy of Neurology
Sanaz Sedaghat, PhD, Chicago, Ill.
Christian Camargo, MD, Miami, Fla.

Susan S. Spencer Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Epilepsy - $150,000 over 2 years
Funded by the American Epilepsy Society, Epilepsy Foundation, and American Brain Foundation
In collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology
Lisseth Burbano, MD, Parkville, Australia

Clinical Research Training Scholarship in ALS - $150,000 over 2 years
Funded by The ALS Association and American Brain Foundation
In collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology
Jennifer Marsella, MD, Monroe County, N.Y.

Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Headache - $130,000 over 2 years
Funded by the International Headache Society and American Brain Foundation
In collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology
Faisal Amin, MD, PhD, Copenhagen, Denmark

Clinician Scientist Development Award in Interventional Neurology - $240,000 over 3 years
Funded by the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology and American Brain Foundation
In collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology
Kevin Keenan, MD, San Francisco, Calif.

Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Tourette Syndrome - $150,000 over 2 years
Funded by the Tourette Association of America and American Brain Foundation
In collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology
Jennifer Vermilion, MD, Rochester, N.Y.

Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Multiple Sclerosis - $150,000 over 2 years
Funded by the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, Biogen, and American Brain Foundation
In collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology
Ulrike Kaunzner, MD, New York, N.Y.

Clinician Scientist Development Award in Multiple Sclerosis - $240,000 over 3 years
Funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the American Brain Foundation
Omar Al-Louzi, MD, Boston, Mass.

Clinician Scientist Development Award in Myasthenia Gravis - $240,000 over 3 years
Funded by the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America and American Brain Foundation
In collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology
Shruti Raja, MD, Durham, N.C.

Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Neuromuscular Disease - $150,000 over 2 years
Funded by the Muscle Study Group and American Brain Foundation
In collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology
Reza Seyedsadjadi, MD, Boston, Mass.

Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Parkinson's Disease - $150,000 over 2 years
Funded by the Parkinson's Foundation and American Brain Foundation
In collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology
David Coughlin, MD, Philadelphia, Pa.

Robert W. Katzman, MD, Clinical Research Training Scholarship in Alzheimer's and Dementia Research - $150,000 over 2 years
Funded by the Alzheimer's Association and American Brain Foundation
In collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology
Hyun-Sik Yang, MD, Boston, Mass.

Richard Olney Clinician Scientist Development Award in ALS - $240,000 over 3 years
Funded by The ALS Association and American Brain Foundation
In collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology
Suma Babu, MBBS, MPH, Boston, Mass.

About the American Brain Foundation: The American Brain Foundation brings researchers and donors together to cure brain diseases and disorders. The Foundation invests in research of the whole brain and all nervous system disorders knowing they are interconnected. This holistic, innovative approach allows the Foundation to build bridges between diseases and break new ground in research and application. The Foundation understands that when we cure one brain disease, we will cure many.

For more information about the American Brain Foundation, visit https://www.AmericanBrainFoundation.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

SOURCE American Brain Foundation