What are the goals of the Johns Hopkins Brain Science Institute?

The BSI was established with an ambitious agenda. It will establish new enabling technologies in the form of core research platforms. It will help develop new multidisciplinary research groups. It will foster translation of discoveries to treatments of disease, in part by improving our ability to partner with industry and biotechnology. It will develop educational programs and symposia. And finally, it will participate in development of new resources for the neurosciences.

The goals listed are broad. What specifically is the BSI doing now?

The first project of the BSI was to develop new core resources in novel approaches to neurogenetics. Proposals for specific cores were solicited and reviewed by a special panel; the funded platforms are described in “Funded Projects”. The BSI contributed to the purchase of the new 7 Tesla MRI in the Kirby Center of the Kennedy-Krieger Institute. Multidisciplinary groups have been assessing research needs in three other areas, regeneration and repair in the nervous system, new approaches to perception and cognition, and schizophrenia, and calls for proposals went out in these areas (see “Calls for Proposals”).  Eighty-nine investigative teams submitted proposals and 16 projects were funded (see News and Events).

A major new effort is in development of a Neurotranslation Research Program aimed at developing and bringing new treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders from basic discovery to clinical testing. Dr. Jeffrey Rothstein directs this effort. The BSI is bringing industry representatives to Hopkins to educate them about the scope of basic and clinical neuroscience in the University. An agreement with Biogen-Idec resulted from these efforts (see “Industry ..”). The goals of the agreement are to allow true partnering on development of Hopkins ideas, with easy and open communication on joint projects between Hopkins labs and the company.

The BSI is organizing a series of educational activities, including Minisymposia in specific topics. The minisymposium on Regeneration and Repair in the Nervous System had 140 attendees and over 30 posters were displayed, in addition to the lectures. An annual BSI Symposium will be planned. An educational enrichment program for medical, graduate and undergraduate students was launched in April, 2008, and includes regular Brain Nights in the Mountcastle Auditorium in the PCTB building at the School of Medicine. These evenings bring faculty together with medical, graduate and undergraduate students from all years, interested in the neurosciences, for supper and getting acquainted, and for short presentations on topics of broad interest.

How is the BSI organized?

The BSI is designed to bring together and support neurosciences across the campuses, including the Schools of Medicine, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Education, Public Health, the Applied Physics Laboratory, and others. The BSI is an Institute within the School of Medicine, so that its Director reports to the Dean through the Vice Dean for Faculty, Janice Clements, Ph. D. (Comparative Medicine and Neurology), The Director is John Griffin, M.D. (Neurology, Neuroscience, and Pathology), and the Codirectors are Richard Huganir, Ph.D. (Neuroscience and the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes) and Jeffrey Rothstein, M.D.-Ph.D. (Neurology and Neuroscience). The University BSI Council is made up of the Chairs of neuroscience-oriented departments and divisions from across the campuses if the University.

Will the BSI recruit new faculty, and will there be primary appointments in the BSI?

Primary appointments will be in the Departments. The BSI may participate on recruiting new faculty to specific multidisciplinary programs and research cores, but the recruits will always have an appointment in a Department.

Will the BSI have separate space, and where will it be? 

The focus is in enabling the faculty to do things they would otherwise not be able to do. A longterm goal is development of contiguous neuroscience space, but at present the BSI programs will be developed in existing departmental space.

How does the BSI differ from the Mind-Brain Institute? from the Department of Psychology and Brain Science?

The Krieger Mind-Brain Institute was conceived by Vernon Mountcastle and is housed in the School of Arts and Sciences in Krieger Hall on the Homewood campus. Its special focus is on systems neurophysiology. Similarly, the Department of Psychology and Brain Science, directed by Michela Gallagher, is a department within the School of Arts and Sciences. The BSI is a separate Institute that acts as an umbrella supporting the full range of neuroscience programs at Johns Hopkins, including these.

How can I hear about BSI activities?

The neuroscience faculty at Johns Hopkins is big, scientifically diverse, and widely spread geographically. The first two factors are part of the strength of the Brain Sciences here, but all three represent potential barriers to communication. We have developed several tools to foster communication. This website will be a primary means of announcing new efforts and activities. The University BSI Council exists in part to transmit information from the faculty to the BSI and back to the faculty. BSI leaders have already spoken at faculty meetings in 7 departments, and we expect that number will increase. We are planning annual Town Meetings for interested faculty, both on the Homewood and the East Baltimore campuses. Finally, the Minisymposia are settings for educating faculty about BSI activities.

How can I contact the BSI?

The BSI offices are currently located in the School of Medicine, Pathology Building, Suite 509. Barbara Smith is the Administrative Manager. Her contact information is 410-955-4504 or bsmith13@jhmi.edu. Aditya Polsani is Industrial Liaison Associate, and provides a link to Biomedical Engineering.  His office is in Meyer 6-113 and his contact information is 410-614-2075 or apolsan1@jhu.edu.  Yvette Johnson-White is the Financial Manager and she can be reached at 410-416-6161 or yjohnso2@jhmi.edu.  Boi Carpenter-Mellady represents Johns Hopkins Development.