To Crack the Puzzles of Alzheimer's, a Foundation Takes a Laser Approach

To Crack the Puzzles of Alzheimer's, a Foundation Takes a Laser Approach

As Alzheimer’s disease inflicts an ever-rising toll on aging populations in the U.S. and overseas, the race is on for research breakthroughs. The Rainwater Charitable Foundation recently announced a major new prize focused on a key protein.

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While We Wait For a Cure, These Funders are Helping Millions of Alzheimer's Patients Now

While We Wait For a Cure, These Funders are Helping Millions of Alzheimer's Patients Now

Alzheimer’s has been one of medicine’s toughest challenges, and while researchers soldier on, patients and caregivers are struggling right now. We look at who’s providing grants to improve services for these patients and their caregivers.

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A Foundation Bridging Neuroscience and Clinical Treatments, Across Continents

A Foundation Bridging Neuroscience and Clinical Treatments, Across Continents

Since 2010, the Bertarelli Foundation has been funding a collaboration between Harvard Medical School and EPFL in Switzerland. It’s an unusual effort to link up researchers to study brain and sensory disorders.

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New Money, New Momentum: Alzheimer's Research is Getting a Boost

New Money, New Momentum: Alzheimer's Research is Getting a Boost

In the latest example of the new money flowing into this space, a team of top philanthropists has joined forces to find new biomarkers to detect, diagnose and track Alzheimer’s disease. 

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Can a Venture Philanthropy Model Disrupt Dementia Research?

Can a Venture Philanthropy Model Disrupt Dementia Research?

Diseases of dementia, including Alzheimer's, are among medicine's toughest challenges. AARP is getting behind an unusual effort to catalyze new breakthroughs in this frustrating field.

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Head and Heart: An Unusual Partnership to Break New Ground in Biomedical Research

Head and Heart: An Unusual Partnership to Break New Ground in Biomedical Research

Foundations and research groups increasingly see out-of-the-box collaborations as holding the key to faster medical breakthroughs. Which explains why a top brain funder and heart organization are teaming up.

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A Foundation for Breakthroughs: Behind a Quest to Map Every Cell in the Human Body

A Foundation for Breakthroughs: Behind a Quest to Map Every Cell in the Human Body

CZI is playing the long game with its health science funding. Its latest boost to the Human Cell Atlas project seeks to create the framework for global cooperative research for decades to come.

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A Historic Gift Seeks to Put a University on the Leading Edge of Brain Science

A Historic Gift Seeks to Put a University on the Leading Edge of Brain Science

With more deep-pocketed donors excited by brain research, a handful of universities has landed some seriously large gifts. Brown is the latest school to get in on the action.

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Starting Early: A Biomedical Funder's Unusual Focus on (Very) Young Scientists

Starting Early: A Biomedical Funder's Unusual Focus on  (Very) Young Scientists

For the past few years, the Autism Science Foundation has been running a program to fund undergraduate scientists. It's virtually alone in targeting research dollars at this level. What's its thinking? 

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A Science Funder Zeroes In On a Critical Question: How Do Teachers Learn and Change?

A Science Funder Zeroes In On a Critical Question: How Do Teachers Learn and Change?

Known for its support of cognitive research, the James S. McDonnell Foundation became frustrated by how little of what it learned ended up in classrooms. Here's what it did next. 

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New Incentive: Behind a Philanthropist's Big Prize for Alzheimer's Research

New Incentive: Behind a Philanthropist's Big Prize for Alzheimer's Research

Empowering outlying research ideas can be a key to medical breakthroughs—or a major waste of money. Here's a how a Florida philanthropist is looking to shake things up on Alzheimer's.

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Looking Deep Into the Brain With New Technology Bankrolled by Foundations

Looking Deep Into the Brain With New Technology Bankrolled by Foundations

Four foundations funded a team of researchers who set out to create a more powerful and accessible device to monitor brain activity. The effort could lead to breakthroughs in neuroscience. 

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Who's Been Giving Lately to End the Country’s Most Expensive Disease?

Who's Been Giving Lately to End the Country’s Most Expensive Disease?

Despite the fact that dementia could literally bankrupt the U.S. as the population ages, no mega-giver or foundation really owns this space yet. But more funders are stepping up with some big gifts. 

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The Limits of Corporate Giving: Why the NIH Broke Up with the NFL

The Limits of Corporate Giving: Why the NIH Broke Up with the NFL

It's no surprise that a partnership between the National Institutes of Health and the National Football League is dissolving this month. Few corporate funders bankroll research that threatens their bottom line. 

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Broad Interests and a Passion for Science: What This Mega-Donor Is Into

Broad Interests and a Passion for Science: What This Mega-Donor Is Into

Dallas philanthropist Lyda Hill approaches science funding by supporting emerging fields and scientific solutions to problems. Here's what this big-league giver has been up to lately. 

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Billions Left to Give: The Latest Big Move by Home Depot Co-founder Bernie Marcus

Billions Left to Give: The Latest Big Move by Home Depot Co-founder Bernie Marcus

Worth $4.3 billion, the 88-year-old Marcus has said that he doesn't want to leave his fortune to the kids and believes in giving while living. So where's the money going? Here's one place.

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Funder With a Niche Focus on Spinal Cord Injuries Packs a Surprisingly Big Punch

Funder With a Niche Focus on Spinal Cord Injuries Packs a Surprisingly Big Punch

The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation backs research and other programs related to spinal cord injuries. Neilsen has a laser-like focus, and has become a sizable player in a short time.

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Meet a Philanthropist Keen on Stem Cells

Meet a Philanthropist Keen on Stem Cells

Investor Mike Vranos and his wife Anna-Karin have directed millions to stem cell research at Harvard. We dig into why the Vranoses support this science, and what they've funded.

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Serious Money Flows to a Texas Campus for Brain Research from a Quiet Health Funder

Serious Money Flows to a Texas Campus for Brain Research from a Quiet Health Funder

When a funder we've never heard of makes an eight-figure neuroscience gift to an out-of-the-way university, we can't help wondering what the backstory might be.  

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On the Edge: A Big Give to Back Novel Approaches in Autism Science

On the Edge: A Big Give to Back Novel Approaches in Autism Science

Philanthropy's added value in medical research—a field that attracts tens of billions in public dollars—is backing riskier work that otherwise would go unfunded. Here's a wealthy couple doing exactly that at MIT. 

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