We seek support for a postdoctoral training program in Recovery and Restoration of Brain Health and Function following acute brain injury due to stroke or trauma to be administered by the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital. Combining the expertise of the clinical neurosciences at MGH and the Brown Institute for Brain Science at Brown University, this program will fill a pressing need for clinician-scientists and neuroengineers trained to leverage the computational neurosciences and to develop device-based interventions on behalf of patients who survive disabling brain injuries. The program will involve active participation by an accomplished, experienced, and multidisciplinary training faculty drawn from anesthesia, bioengineering, computational neuroscience, neurology, neurosurgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation, psychiatry, and radiology. The program will train postdoctoral clinician-scientists who have an understanding of and commitment to research in functional recovery and will devote themselves to studying the effects of novel interventions in patients. Postdoctoral neuroengineers trained by the program will be integrated into clinical research teams so that they can gain an understanding of the clinical environment required to lead multi- disciplinary teams developing new treatments for patients who survive brain injuries. Mentors and research experiences cover five overarching themes: 1) Clinical research and clinical trials, 2) Computational neuroscience, 3) From neural recording to neural imaging, 4) Neural repair, and 5) Neuromodulation. Trainees will spend a minimum of two years in the program. The program will combine a mentored research project within one of the five theme areas with specific coursework tailored to the theme area chosen by the trainee. All trainees will enroll in career development training activities specifically tailored to their background as clinician or neuroengineer. At its completion they will be prepared to submit successful research career development awards devoted to improving outcomes for survivors of acute brain injury. The program will capitalize on 1) strong clinical training programs in acute brain injuries at MGH, 2) strong research training programs in the clinical neurosciences, 3) strong bioengineering and computational neuroscience research training programs at Brown, and 4) the already close collaboration between MGH and Brown.

Public Health Relevance

This project will 1) train clinical neuroscientists, neuroengineers and computational neuroscientists to perform research that produces breakthroughs in the recovery and restoration of function for patients with acute brain injury from stroke and trauma and, 2) prepare these investigators to become independent investigators who devote their careers to producing those breakthroughs.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Institutional National Research Service Award (T32)
Project #
1T32NS100663-01
Application #
9280204
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZNS1)
Program Officer
Weigand, Letitia Alexis
Project Start
2017-07-01
Project End
2022-06-30
Budget Start
2017-07-01
Budget End
2018-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Massachusetts General Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
073130411
City
Boston
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02114
Ellard, Kristen K; Gosai, Aishwarya G; Bernstein, Emily E et al. (2018) Intrinsic functional neurocircuitry associated with treatment response to transdiagnostic CBT in bipolar disorder with anxiety. J Affect Disord 238:383-391
Ellard, Kristen K; Bernstein, Emily E; Hearing, Casey et al. (2017) Transdiagnostic treatment of bipolar disorder and comorbid anxiety using the Unified Protocol for Emotional Disorders: A pilot feasibility and acceptability trial. J Affect Disord 219:209-221