Georgia can dominate as a hub for brain health and neuroscience.
That’s according to an extensive nine-month-long study conducted by the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and Deloitte.
The study examined the academic and research assets that currently exist in Georgia, how the state compares to other states and how Georgia can move forward to leverage its potential.
“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance brain health,” said Tim Denning, president and CEO of the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), a public-private entity that includes key civic and business leaders, university presidents and top state officials. “This is a key moment in time — a once-in-a-generation inflexion point.”
The study, funded by a $475,000 grant from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, mapped the major assets that already exist in Georgia. Denning presented a summary of the study’s findings at GRA’s Jan. 29 quarterly board meeting, which was held virtually.
The presentation included a map of Georgia’s key assets in brain health and neuroscience. It also showed a wide array of research centers, laboratories, universities and medical facilities that specialize in the field.
There’s the University of Georgia’s Isakson Center for Neurological Disease Research; the Emory Goizueta Brain Health Institute; UGA’s Cognitive Aging Research and Education Center; Georgia Tech’s Institute for Neuroscience, Neurotechnology and Society; Augusta University’s Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine; Translational Research in Neuroimaging & Data Science (Georgia Tech, GSU and Emory); the National Science Foundation’s Center for Behavioral Neuroscience; as well as the Shepherd Center, which treats brain and spinal injuries.
“We have unusually strong assets, and they are unusually complementary,” Denning said in an interview on Feb. 6 to discuss the study’s findings. “We have one of the best engineering schools in the nation; we have one of the best medical academic research institutions in the country; and we have all the eminent scholars we have brought here.”
Denning also mentioned Georgia State University has one of the best brain imaging programs, under the leadership of Dr. Vince Calhoun. Other assets include research that’s underway at the Morehouse School of Medicine and Mercer University.
The “moment” is now thanks to a convergence of neuroscience, AI and precision medicine, Denning said. Ultimately, that convergence can provide tools to make earlier detection and treatment of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s possible.
Ultimately, it’s about improving brain health for Georgians. One in three families is affected by brain diseases, which costs more than $1 trillion a year. One in five adults 65 and older will have a neurodegenerative disorder. And 12 percent of Georgia’s 65 and older population has Alzheimer’s.
Clearly, interest exists in diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s and other brain-related illnesses.
On Feb. 5, the Daughters Against Alzheimer’s hosted its signature event – Battle for the Brain – at the Coca-Cola Roxy in Cobb County, raising more than $2.13 million to benefit Emory’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
But the challenge will be to harness and leverage Georgia’s assets.
“Georgia can lead the next decade of brain health innovation,” the study said. “Georgia has best-in-class assets but lacks a coordinating engine.”
The study later stated: “Investment can move from being siloed to integrated.”
One of Georgia’s advantages is having centers that can delve deeply into a patient’s brain health, and it also has entities that can reach far and wide to serve the greater population.
“We do think this kind of community-led engagement is critical,” Denning said. “To really move the needle in society, it has to be accessible to many.”
For example, the earlier one can detect and diagnose Alzheimer’s, the greater the likelihood that there can be interventions to slow its progression. Neurodegeneration also includes other illnesses, such as Parkinson’s.
“We have incredibly strong assets,” Denning said. “But we need an orchestrator to knit all these pieces together. That role is so well-suited for GRA. The role of GRA as an orchestrator can expand way beyond the neuroscience degeneration into things like mental health and other diseases. What we do not want to do is alienate any entity that could be excited to be part of this.
“It’s like having a head coach,” Denning continued. “You may have a lot of talented players, but you are not going to win without a head coach. GRA can be that head coach.”
For 35 years, GRA has been investing in academic research and technology innovation in partnership with the state’s research universities. It has helped foster collaboration among different scientists and labs while also investing in technology start-ups to expand Georgia’s economy.
But the brain health initiative would elevate GRA’s impact to a new level.
“It is a natural evolution for GRA, our universities and our state,” Denning said. “Convening everyone is critical. We would bring all the players to the table to craft a research agenda.”
Amanda Schroeder, GRA’s senior vice president of external engagement, said the study outlined the potential for Georgia to improve brain health outcomes in the state.
“We feel we have a case to be made to private philanthropy to invest in the idea,” said Schroeder, who believes there’s an opportunity for philanthropic support locally and nationally. “We ideally would like to fundraise and test pilot this initiative.”
For Denning, helping Georgia evolve as a brain health hub would be an “inspirational” initiative.
“To realize this opportunity, it requires a bold vision,” Denning said. “Our neuro-hub can build on what we have. There’s absolutely an appetite. Our research partners have an appetite to work collectively to do something impactful.”
Over the next several months, GRA will explore whether funders will seize the opportunity to invest in Georgia’s vision of becoming a leading hub for brain health.
“Ideally, we would hope to attract tens of millions of dollars to really launch this initiative,” said Denning, who sees GRA as a conductor of a talented orchestra. “Without a conductor, the talent can be disjointed. It’s getting people to appreciate the massive role of an orchestrator.”
