FBI Research Scholars Program: How Philanthropy Is Funding Our Boldest New Ideas in Brain Science

The program reaches across the entire Mount Sinai Health System, bringing together researchers from many different disciplines and supporting those ideas that have the most potential to creatively advance the translation of basic science into new clinical diagnostic tests and treatments.

The 20 Scholars selected for the 10 awards this year are affiliated with the following departments: Diagnostic, Molecular and Interventional Radiology; Genetics and Genomic Sciences; Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine; Medicine; Neurology; Neuroscience; Pathology, Molecular and Cell-Based Medicine; Pharmacological Sciences; and Psychiatry.

Read more about the Scholars and their collaborative research topics:

• Richard and Susan Friedman Research Scholar Award
  Sairam Geethanath, PhD, and Shilpa R. Taufique, PhD
  Accessible community-based neuroimaging of substance use disorder patients to monitor therapeutic efficacy

• Fascitelli Research Scholar Award
  Dalila D. Pinto, PhD; Melissa A. Umphlett, MD; and Madeline C. Fields, MD
  Molecular profiling of pediatric-onset focal epilepsies

• Joseph and Nancy DiSabato Research Scholar Award
  Sarah Ann Levy, PhD
  Aß deposition and cognitive impairment in older adults with MS

• Scherr Family Foundation Research Scholar Award
  Stephanie K. Tankou, MD, PhD, and Graham J. Britton, PhD
  Identifying pro- and anti-encephalitogenic strains from human multiple sclerosis-associated microbiotas

• Harvey Schwartz Research Scholar Award
  Muhammad Adeel Parvaz, PhD, and Cheryl M. Corcoran, MD
  Neurocomputational modeling to distinguish clinical phenotypes of comorbid psychosis and cannabis use

• Zhao Research Scholar Award
  Michael S. Breen, PhD, and Makiko Yasuda, MD, PhD
  A novel in vivo reporter model to assess specificity and efficacy of RNA-editing therapy and delivery tools

• Jane Martin and Stuart Katz Research Scholar Award
  Fanny M. Elahi, MD, PhD; Kuan-Lin Huang, PhD; and Alison M. Goate, DPhil
  Unbiased discovery of early molecular dysregulations in Alzheimer’s disease

• Lipschultz Research Scholar Award
  Xiaoting Wu, PhD, and Denise J. Cai, PhD
  Investigation and rescue of aberrant hippocampal ensemble activity in ASD-associated mouse models

• Nash Family Research Scholar Award
  Haeyoung Baang, MD
  Differentiation between vegetative state and minimally conscious state with computerized analysis of facial movements on clinical examination

• Ram Sundaram and Preethi Krishna Research Scholar Award
  Ki A. Goosens, PhD, and Mone Zaidi, MD, PhD, MBA
  A novel role for follicle-stimulating hormone in Alzheimer’s disease and comorbid health condi­tions in Down syndrome