The Stanford brain rejuvenation project
Creating a center for neurodegeneration research focusing on brain maintenance and regeneration, and the role of the immune system in these processes.
Team Leaders
Aaron Gitler (genetics), Tony Wyss-Coray (neurology)
Team Members
Katrin Andreasson (neurology), Ben Barres (neurology), Anne Brunet (genetics), Helen Bronte-Stewart (neurosurgery), Zev Bryant (bioengineering), Stanley Cohen (genetics), Jennifer Cochran (bioengineering), Mark Davis (microbiology and immunology), John Day (neurology), Scott Delp (bioengineering / mechanical engineering), Jun Ding (neurosurgery), Scott Dixon (biology), Sam Gambhir (radiology), Lisa Giocomo (neurobiology), Michael Greicius (neurology), Judith Frydman (biology), Joachim Hallmayer (psychiatry), Daniel Jarosz (chemical and systems biology), Geoffrey Kerchner (neurology), Ron Kopito (biology), Anshul Kundaje (genetics), Jin Hyung Lee (neurology), Michael Lin (pediatrics), Frank Longo (neurology), Emmanuel Mignot (psychiatry), Theo Palmer (neurosurgery), Sergiu Pasca (psychiatry), Edward Plowey (pathology), Stephen Quake (bioengineering / applied physics), Thomas Rando (neurology), Richard Reimer (neurology), Brian Rutt (radiology), Mark Schnitzer (biology / applied physics), Carla Shatz (biology / neurobiology), Kang Shen (biology), Thomas Südhof (molecular and cellular physiology), Xinnan Wang (neurosurgery), Anthony Wagner (psychology), Marius Wernig (pathology), Michael Zeineh (radiology), Eric Reiman (banner health & university of arizona)
Vision
As human life expectancy continues to increase, neurodegenerative diseases are increasing in prevalence, posing a growing threat to public health worldwide. Thus, novel treatments and therapeutic interventions are desperately needed. Bridging campus-wide expertise in genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, clinical care, engineering, chemistry, neuro-imaging, immunology, regenerative medicine, and basic neurobiology, we propose the Stanford Brain Rejuvenation Project. We will focus on the synapse as the central element of neural communication that deteriorates with aging and in neurodegenerative diseases and study its structure, development, and maintenance as the organism ages. We will put special emphasis on maintenance and regeneration of synaptic/neural circuits and the role of immune processes. A unique feature of our consortium will be the close interactions between clinicians and basic scientists, geneticists and engineers, engineers and clinicians, chemists and clinicians. We aim to be the leading center for neurodegenerative disease research in the country and to train the next generation of scientists and clinicians in this field. We also aim to reach out and actively engage the community and to work with our community partners to help expand knowledge and interest in neurodegenerative disease research.
