Overview
The Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Center for Bioinformatics Research and Imaging for Neurosciences (BRAIN) at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute focuses on developing and integrating new bioinformatics, bioimaging, and bioengineering methods to study mechanisms and to find cure of progressive neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s.
Our focus:
- To study primarily Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegeneration and neurodevelopmental disorders that may function through similar mechanisms.
- To apply bioinformatics, bioimaging, bioengineering, and neurobiology methodologies to enhance our abilities to study the vast quantities of information produced throughout the neuroscience community.
- To develop new methods and technologies to manage and treat neurodegeneration via regenerative medicine.
- To provide an environment that allows for focused and efficient research that combines academic creativity with a business-like approach to advance the search for treatments and cures and to maintain meaningful and extensive collaboration throughout the Texas Medical Center community, including both the private and public sectors.
Whereas our ultimate goal is simple — to understand what causes Alzheimer’s and find a cure for the disease through neuroregeneration and other means — this represents a far too complex and urgent problem for any one group to tackle. It is therefore critical to have collaboration with physicians, scientists, and patients, and use our bioinformatics, computational, imaging, and engineering expertise to offer the best hope for progress. To date, The TT and WF Chao Center for BRAIN at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute has developed working relationships with dozens of research centers and many researchers throughout the country. For visionary philanthropists and scientists, participation in The Chao BRAIN center offers a wonderful opportunity to help others and advance the field of neurodegeneration — please join us!
The Chao Center for BRAIN works closely with the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Clinical Center and the Neurodegenerative Disease Clinic of the Methodist Neurological Institute of The Methodist Hospital in translating the research results to patient bedside. In addition to the gift from The Chao Foundation, the Center seeks also extramural grants from NIH and other funding agencies, as well as other philanthropy support in combating neurodegeneration and associated neurological disorders.
