Discoveries that make a difference

Initiative for
the Brain

“Discoveries at Weill Cornell have helped revolutionize patient treatment. Our neurosurgical team has created and designed many treatment models that are now used routinely around the world.”
— Philip E. Stieg, Ph.D., M.D., Professor of Neurological Surgery, Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery
To learn more about brain initiatives and research in areas like Stroke and Alzheimer’s Disease, read our brochure or contact Lucille Ferraro, Campaign Director, at 646–317–7387, or development@med.cornell.edu.

Michael G. Kaplitt, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery in Neurology and Otorhinolaryngology, performing the first gene therapy for Parkinson's disease.

Weill Cornell Medical College leads the way in groundbreaking research in brain health—a critical area of the Discoveries Campaign. As people live longer, the need for neurological care will increase significantly over the next 20 years.

Our physician - scientists are pioneers in this field. They successfully conducted the first gene therapy for Parkinson's disease, which strikes 50,000 new people in the U.S. each year. Our researchers have identified naturally occurring antibodies in human blood that may help defend against the development of Alzheimer's disease, which affects about one in every 10 Americans over age 65. They are exploring new frontiers for the causes and treatment of stroke, which affects 700,000 Americans each year. Every day our researchers in the lab and our physicians working with patients make strides that deepen our understanding of the basic biology of the brain.

“This is not a job; this is our life. In the neurosciences we work as a team to build the future. In order to make breakthroughs, to invest our lives around finding cures and making discoveries, we can't be timid. We have to sometimes go up the wrong path and try, and then try again. That’s how new things are discovered.”
– Matthew E. Fink, M.D., Professor of Clinical Neurology and Interim Chairman of the Department of Neurology and Neuroscience
“With our interdisciplinary strengths at Weill Cornell, the ease of collaboration, and progress that will be possible through the Initiative for the Brain, the possibilities for better treatments and even potential cures for many kinds of severe mental illness will be greatly enhanced.”
– Jack D. Barchas, M.D., Barklie McKee Henry Professor of Psychiatry and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry