As executive director of the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute, can you share what the institute means for patients?
With 1 out of every 2 people worldwide affected by neurologic disease, the need for a unified, coordinated response has never been greater. Our institute unites extraordinary strengths across Mass General Brigham — clinicians, researchers, nurses, support staff, and trainees — under one shared vision: to change the course of brain, spine, and neuromuscular health worldwide. For patients, that means faster access to coordinated, multidisciplinary care, participation in clinical trials as the standard of care, and the expansion of expert care into the community, making it easier for patients to receive care closer to home.
“We want to rewrite the future so that someday, all neurologic diseases can be prevented or cured.”
What are the institute’s most immediate priorities?
Make it easier for patients to get care and for faculty to accelerate their research. The most consistent theme we heard during our listening sessions with faculty and staff was “unclog the system.” We’re building a culture of frictionless collaboration, improving access — a real challenge in neurology — and developing cross-cutting research platforms so innovations in gene therapy and immunotherapy can benefit patients across all neurologic conditions. One center I’m especially eager to launch is the Memory Center, because it unites world-leading efforts already underway at Mass General Brigham.
What makes the institute uniquely positioned in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders?
Our strength is in bringing research-infused care to patients. The fundamental science behind the two FDA-approved Alzheimer’s treatments began here. Drs. Rudy Tanzi and Jim Gusella discovered the first Alzheimer’s gene. Their work continues at the institute’s McCance Center for Brain Health, focusing on innovative research to promote healthy brain aging and prevent neurodegenerative disease. Dr. Brad Hyman has made seminal discoveries in the pathology of Alzheimer’s and how the illness spreads from one nerve cell to another. Dr. Dennis Selkoe established the role of amyloid in the disease. And Dr. Reisa Sperling is a leader in worldwide Alzheimer’s prevention trials, treating the disease decades before symptoms appear. When the first anti-amyloid drug was approved, our teams across Mass General Brigham mobilized immediately — we were the first site in New England to provide those infusions.
What is another example of collaborative science the institute will accelerate?
There are so many examples! One that comes to mind is Dr. Patty Musolino’s remarkable work in small-vessel diseases, genetic mutations causing strokes in infants. Before her work, care for these children was largely palliative. Today, she has a platform to develop gene therapies for a range of these rare diseases. Last year, she treated an 8-month-old with a one-time gene therapy, and that child is doing well. She drew on our Gene and Cell Therapy Institute, our neuroscience clinical trial coordination center, five additional departments, and systemwide infrastructure. The research, from the lab to treatment in patients, was fueled by philanthropic support, biotech investment, and federal grants. That’s just one example of the engine of discovery we’re unleashing to bring cutting-edge research to patients — and then we’re using the feedback from those treatments to drive new research breakthroughs in other diseases.
What is your long-term vision?
We have a clear roadmap spanning our academic medical centers and community hospitals, with more than 600 neuroscience providers, over 400 active clinical trials, and $439 million in research spending. Now, we’re building the connective tissue — the infrastructure and care models to let all that talent work together. We want patients to get most of their care closer to home, with seamless links to our academic medical centers when needed. The goal is simple, even when the work is hard: Change neuroscience, change lives. We want to rewrite the future so that someday, all neurologic diseases can be prevented or cured.
To learn more about how you can support the Mass General Brigham Neuroscience Institute, contact us.
