West LA Times

UCLA and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science have secured a $5 million grant to establish a multidisciplinary research center focused on leveraging neuroscience for the benefit of society. The institutions are matching the grant funding to kickstart the initiative.

The partnership, supported by the Dana Foundation, is aimed at maximizing the potential of neuroscience for public good. The collaborative effort will bring together experts from various fields such as neuroscience, social sciences, education, policy, and the humanities to collaborate with local clinician-scholars, community partners, and organizations in South Los Angeles.

Dr. Steven Dubinett, dean of the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, "We are proud to participate in this game-changing effort to make neuroscience more responsive to societal needs by placing a premium on public involvement and leveraging the expertise of many disciplines to enhance brain science."

The newly established Dana Center Initiative for Neuroscience and Society will focus on deepening community engagement, fostering research collaborations, and training multidisciplinary neuro-society experts. The center, led by five co-principal investigators, including Dr. Helena Hansen, Dr. Denese Shervington, Ashley Feinsinger, Gina Poe, and Dr. Amy Woods, aims to reshape the relationship between neuroscience and the public.

The initiative, spearheaded by the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Charles R. Drew University, marks a significant step towards bridging the gap between neuroscience research and societal needs.