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Collaboration, innovation hallmarks of UT System brain health initiative

GALVESTON—As one of seven university partners for The BRAIN Initiative®, a White House-led focus to revolutionize the study of the human brain, The University of Texas System is building a reputation as a national leader in brain health research.

The UT System Board of Regents allocated $20 million to create the UT System Neuroscience and Neurotechnology Research Institute in August 2014 to align with the BRAIN initiative. BRAIN is an acronym that stands for Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies. The goal is to identify the tools and technology that could lead to improved brain health through the nation.

More recently, $100,000 UT BRAIN seed grants were awarded to 45 new research teams – a total of $4.5 million – across the UT System to jump-start multi-disciplinary and innovative research on the human brain.

“The intent behind this was to get our institutional experts to collaborate, to form new kinds of teams and be able to go forward to do the best possible science to advance us in a competitive way,” Patricia Hurn, Ph.D., vice chancellor for research and innovation at the UT System, said in a presentation to the UT System Board of Regents Feb. 10.

Greg Dussor, Ph.D., a UT Dallas scientist who is using his UT BRAIN grant to research migraine therapeutics, shared with the board how difficult it is to get preliminary data with little funding.

“That’s where this kind of a program is absolutely essential,” Dussor said. “It puts us at an advantage over colleagues in other states. They have more trouble getting that preliminary data to get their grants off the ground. We have an advantage being here in the System and being fortunate enough to get this kind of award.”

Consuelo Walss-Bass, Ph.D., a researcher at UTHealth in Houston, shared with the board that she leveraged the scientific expertise of her colleagues at UT Health Science Center San Antonio to gain an understanding of electrophysiology for her UT BRAIN seed grant research studying schizophrenia with the goal of developing personalized treatments.

“It’s really great that we can initiate these collaborations and become competitive,” Walss-Bass said.

Leading the brain health revolution and developing a collaborative UT Health Care Enterprise are two of eight “Quantum Leaps” proposed by UT System Chancellor William H. McRaven in November as part of his vision to apply UT System expertise to address global challenges.

“Overall UT BRAIN facilitated interdisciplinary and trans-institutional collaborative research. I believe this initiative provides a model that we can further develop to make quantum leaps for brain health,” Tom Jacobs, Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for federal relations said. “Collaborations can expand not only throughout our system but also with other Texas institutions and national partners as we advance neuroscience and improve brain health for Texans and the Nation.”

About The University of Texas System

Educating students, providing care for patients, conducting groundbreaking basic, applied and clinical research, and serving the needs of Texans and the nation for more than 130 years, The University of Texas System is one of the largest public university systems in the United States. With 14 institutions and an enrollment of more than 217,000, the UT System confers more than one-third of the state’s undergraduate degrees, educates almost two-thirds of the state’s health care professionals annually and accounts for almost 70 percent of all research funds awarded to public institutions in Texas. The UT System has an annual operating budget of $16.9 billion (FY 2016) including $3 billion in sponsored programs funded by federal, state, local and private sources. With about 20,000 faculty – including Nobel laureates – and more than 70,000 health care professionals, researchers, student advisors and support staff, the UT System is one of the largest employers in the state.

News Contact Information

Jenny LaCoste-Caputo: jcaputo@utsystem.edu  • 512-499-4361(direct) • 512-574-5777 (cell) 
Melanie Thompson: mthompson@utsystem.edu • 512-499-4487 (direct) • 832-724-1024 (cell)