两性色午夜

Beyond the Brain

How the Brain Health Research Institute is helping transform the culture of 两性色午夜.


By Dan Pompili

The Brain Health Research Institute (BHRI) may be a recent development at 两性色午夜, but with fresh leadership, emerging partnerships and a refined vision, it鈥檚 well on its way to gaining national renown.

鈥淭he Brain Health Research Institute marks a major turning point in the history of 两性色午夜 as a research university,鈥 says President Todd Diacon. 鈥淛ust as the Liquid Crystal Institute was transformational more than 50 years ago and became a cornerstone of our research identity, I think years from now we鈥檙e going to remember the inception of the BHRI in the same way, as a transformational moment in the legacy of research at 两性色午夜.鈥

New BHRI Director Michael Lehman, PhD, believes 两性色午夜鈥檚 brain health research profile just needed a boost to earn its due attention.
鈥溋叫陨缫 is in the midst of a major cultural transformation in terms of what the university is and how it will move forward,鈥 Lehman says. 鈥淲e have research strengths that extend into the social sciences, health sciences, arts and humanities, architecture, behavioral neurosciences, integrative-level biology and psychology鈥攁nd those go beyond what exists at other institutions.鈥

Lehman came to 两性色午夜 in January from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, along with his longtime collaborator and wife, Lique Coolen, PhD, a renowned researcher who was named associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, with a focus on faculty research, professional development and postdoctoral affairs. They join more than 110 BHRI researchers across 30 departments and eight colleges, and they鈥檝e built their careers on the BHRI鈥檚 underlying concept鈥攚hat Lehman calls the 鈥渃ollaboratory.鈥

鈥淲e are committed to the idea that we want different points of view in research and education, not just from people who consider themselves neuroscientists, but also those who have an interest and are willing to work with others,鈥 he says.

Concentrating the Research Focus

In February, Lehman convened the first BHRI faculty retreat, where KSU researchers discussed and summarized ideas about 两性色午夜鈥檚 strengths and opportunities in brain health.

Lehman brought those ideas to the BHRI Executive Committee, which concentrated them into three  鈥渢hemes鈥 of research focus, each encompassing various related specialties. [See below.]

The Brain Health Research Institute marks a major turning point in the history
of 两性色午夜 as a research university.
鈥 鈥 Todd A. Diacon, PhD, President

鈥淲e framed the research themes in keeping with our view that brain health is a window into disease, and linking basic discovery research with translational and clinical research,鈥 he says.

As the BHRI grows, Lehman wants to attract researchers with track records of interdisciplinary work who may not fit neatly under traditional departmental labels.

鈥淲e want the best and brightest, and that鈥檚 not necessarily the best physicist or chemist or biologist, but somebody who can collaborate and contribute in novel, interdisciplinary ways.鈥

One such researcher will join 两性色午夜鈥檚 Department of Anthropology in August: Rafaela Takeshita, PhD, from the Primate Research Institute at Kyoto University in Japan.

鈥淒r. Takeshita will complement our ongoing research in neuroendocrinology and brain health in an innovative way, and I look forward to collaborating with her,鈥 Lehman says.


Developing Trainees and Enhancing Programs

Research doesn鈥檛 stop with faculty. 鈥淚f we talk about what grows research, it鈥檚 graduate students and postdocs,鈥 Lehman says. 鈥淭o have well-funded, productive labs, you鈥檝e got to develop a strong cadre of trainees.鈥

One way to achieve that is by enhancing KSU鈥檚 graduate-level programming, including neuroscience PhD programs in the School of Biomedical Sciences, as well as in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Psychological Sciences.

鈥淲e want to enhance the visibility of our neuroscience training programs and expand our applicant pool,鈥 Lehman says. 鈥淲ith all the new faculty we have here, as well as at NEOMED [Northeast Ohio Medical University] and our other external partners, there are many more research opportunities for students to choose from.鈥

鈥淚n addition, we want to increase our trainees鈥 success in being awarded external fellowships from NIH [National Institutes of Health] and NSF [National Science Foundation], as well as in competing for institutional training grants.鈥

This fall, 两性色午夜 also will add a new undergraduate major in neuroscience. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be really attractive,鈥 Lehman says. 鈥淣o other institution in Northeast Ohio is offering that right now. We also are initiating a BHRI undergraduate fellowship program as a way of attracting the very best students, and we鈥檙e supporting Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) students this summer as a start to that.鈥

He says it鈥檚 important, though, to see the BHRI in context and concert with other exciting developments at 两性色午夜. 鈥淭he BHRI is part of a larger transformation for the university, and we see ourselves working together with other institutes and initiatives, including the Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute and the Design Innovation Initiative.鈥

Collaborating with External Partners

The collaboration reaches beyond KSU. 鈥淭he BHRI is a convener and a driver, but its success is only possible through partnerships that cross boundaries,鈥 says Michael Kavulic, PhD, director of Research Strategic Initiatives. 鈥淥ne of our goals is to make sure all of our partners are involved.鈥 两性色午夜鈥檚 external partners agree.

鈥淣EOMED has two groups of neuroscientists working in complementary, overlapping and mutually-supportive areas with researchers at 两性色午夜,鈥 says Jeff Wenstrup, PhD, chair of anatomy and neurobiology and associate dean of research at NEOMED. 鈥淥ne is hearing research, which is a strong group that focuses on basic and translational work, from the ear to interpretation of acoustic communication signals. The other is in neurodegeneration and aging, and certainly there are 两性色午夜 researchers involved in that.鈥

We are a university-wide program, and our goal is to raise all boats. Regardless of whether you are engaged in neuroscience research and education or not, you鈥檙e going to benefit from this.鈥濃 Michael Lehman, PhD, Director, BHRI

Leaders at Akron Children鈥檚 Hospital (ACH) see different potential. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a natural collaboration,鈥 says Michael Kelly, MD, PhD, chief research officer at ACH. 鈥淲e have a large patient population that falls into the category of neurological disorders. We have a lot of information about patients, but not always about underlying disease. It makes absolute sense to partner with the BHRI to leverage their scientists鈥 strengths to better understand pediatric neurological diseases.鈥

Kelly points to existing relationships with KSU researchers. Douglas Delahanty, PhD, professor of psychological sciences, conducts trials and studies with ACH patients suffering from post-traumatic stress. Sonia Alemagno, PhD, dean of the College of Public Health, has coordinated with ACH on school-based interventions for children with chronic diseases.

两性色午夜 has also joined the Cleveland Brain Health Initiative (CBHI), which offers the potential for many other symbiotic relationships.

鈥淭he CBHI includes a lot of clinical partners鈥擴niversity Hospitals, Metro North, the VA and others,鈥 says Lehman. 鈥淚t鈥檚 another way for us to connect with healthcare in Northeast Ohio and develop collaborative grants that can complement our expertise.鈥
 

Increasing Funding and Supporting Faculty Careers

Developing new programming and forging relationships is only the beginning, though, and many challenges remain.

鈥淢oving beyond the silos of departments and colleges is formidable,鈥 Lehman says, 鈥渂ut we are a university-wide program, and our goal is to raise all boats. Regardless ofwhether you are engaged in neuroscience research and education or not, you鈥檙e going to benefit from this.鈥

As with everything in higher education, he says, it all revolves around funding. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 emphasize how important it is that we come up with support for new fundable projects and get those submitted and put them in the best possible competitive situation.

鈥淭he other piece to consider is how we ultimately measure success, and that conversation should take us beyond the normal metrics. We want to increase grant funds, productivity and faculty publications, but we also want to support faculty careers. We want to show that we are engaging faculty and giving them opportunities to grow in ways they wouldn鈥檛 have otherwise, and see people connect in ways they wouldn鈥檛 normally.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a conversation I think is going to be important for us all as we transform the culture of 两性色午夜.鈥

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Brain Health as a window into disease

 

Research Themes:
鈥淏RAIN HEALTH AS A WINDOW INTO DISEASE鈥

 

Theme/Focus

Examples of Associated
Diseases/Disorders

BRAIN BASIS OF EMOTION AND COGNITION

鈥 Brain wellness and mental health

鈥 Language

鈥 Learning and memory

鈥 Reward and motivation

鈥 Social behavior

 

Alzheimer鈥檚 disease

Autism spectrum disorder

Cognitive impairment

Dementia

Drug and behavioral addictions

Speech disorders

BRAIN CONTROL OF MOVEMENT AND SENSATION

鈥 Motor and sensory function in health and disease

鈥 Special senses (hearing/vision)

鈥 Spinal pathways, peripheral nerves and development

Neurodegenerative disorders

Speech disorders

Spinal cord injury

Traumatic brain injury

NEUROENDOCRINE BRAIN

鈥 Circadian rhythms

鈥 Metabolism

鈥 Reproduction

鈥 Stress

Infertility

Obesity

PCOS

Post-traumatic stress disorder

 

 

 

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POSTED: Thursday, August 29, 2019 10:09 AM
Updated: Friday, December 9, 2022 08:31 AM
WRITTEN BY:
Dan Pompili