Today, at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time, Jeffrey Borenstein, M.D., will represent the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation at the White House Conference on the national Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. The BRAIN Initiative, announced in April 2013, is a bold public-private partnership that is expected to revolutionize our understanding of the human brain and advance brain research in much the same way the Human Genome Project (HGP) moved the field of genomics forward. The HGP led to the development of the first ever mapping of the human genome, enabling leaps forward in the treatment, prevention and cure of many types of cancer and other diseases.

Today’s conference will provide an update of the project’s progress to date and announce new plans and commitments from the federal government, nonprofit partners, academic institutions and private sector companies. The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation continues to support the goals of the Initiative by awarding NARSAD Grants to Young, Independent and Distinguished Investigators with innovative ideas, including developing and applying innovative new technologies to gain crucial insights into the structure and function of the most complex organ known to humankind. Ultimately, the goal is to find new prevention strategies, treatment options and cures for mental illness and brain disorders.

New commitments from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation to support the goals of the BRAIN Initiative include a $2 million increase in annual support for the most promising young scientists conducting neurobiological research through NARSAD Young Investigator Grants. These grants can be used to extend research fellowship training or begin careers as independent investigators researching serious brain and behavior disorders such as schizophrenia, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, or mental illnesses in children and adolescents. The Foundation also continues to support the award-winning public television series “Healthy Minds,” hosted by Dr. Borenstein, which offers insightful coverage of crucial mental health topics through in-depth interviews with leading experts in brain science and prominent voices in mental health advocacy. The fourth season of the series is beginning production this fall and will include episodes highlighting The BRAIN Initiative and the importance of research.  

The event will live-streamed at www.whitehouse.gov/live.

Read about the announcement.

Learn more about the BRAIN Initiative:

• About the BRAIN Initiative
• From The New York Times: More Groups Join Project on the Brain
• From The Quarterly, Summer 2013: The BRAIN Initiative: Public-Private Partnership to Map the Function of the Human Brain