Last month, the Neural Stem Cell Institute welcomed visitors from the National Alliance on Mental Illness – NYS, Executive Director Donald Capone, President Thomas Easterly and Sally Easterly. Invited by researcher Richard Davis, PhD. and welcomed by NSCI co-founder Dr.Jeffrey Stern their visit started with a tour of our labs. Dr. Stern spoke of the significance of our independence as a translational research facility and the desire of NSCI to get our research to the bedside to aid people suffering from diseases of the central nervous system.
In their continued efforts to advocate for research our visitors came with questions. How could our research potentially impact the trajectory of mental illness? From the NAMI 2013 Legislative Action Agenda: “For those living with serious mental illness and for their families, research into finding the causes of these devastating brain disorders–and eventually figuring out how to prevent them–has always been a top priority of NAMI-NYS. As scientists work to develop a better understanding of the brain and how it works, it is also important to continue to support research that provides for better treatments and improved medications. Research is our hope for the future.”
We continued the visit by meeting with investigator Barbara Corneo, PhD and post-doctoral student Joyce van de Leemput, PhD. They spoke about their ongoing research and gave our visitors a view through the microscope. Barbara Corneo explained the process of creating a disease model ‘in a (Petri) dish’ that will allow for testing medications and other factors important to developing therapies. Joyce van de Leemput illustrated her work with brain cells. When asked what she sees possible as a treatment for people afflicted with schizophrenia, Joyce shares “Much of my research focus will be on early detection, using biomarkers, to identify people at high risk for developing psychiatric disorders. For example, to identify army personnel with high risk of developing PTSD before deployment or people at high risk of developing schizophrenia before onset of major symptoms. That way we can start working on prevention instead of treating the symptoms after onset of disease when damage has already been done.”
People are eager to know when it will happen. When will the research come to the bedside? When will the capabilities of stem cells be realized in cures for the atrocious diseases that affect so many? Therapeutic outcomes are possible. Support is necessary. Funding is crucial.
If you would like to see our ground-breaking work first-hand contact us today to plan your visit.
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