2015 Brain Aneurysm Foundation Annual Report 2015-Brain-Aneurysm-Foundation-Annual-Report | Page 5

2015 RESEARCH GRANTS
In 2015, the Brain Aneurysm Foundation awarded thirteen grants
totaling $265,000 supporting our commitment to invest in brain
aneurysm research.
The Brain Aneurysm Foundation awards research grants for basic scientific research
directed at early detection, improved treatment modalities, and technological advances
that will ultimately improve outcomes for patients with brain aneurysms. The foundation’s
Research Grant Committee is headed by Robert Rosenwasser, MD, FACS, Professor of
Radiology and Neurosurgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He, along with other
members of the Medical Advisory Board, scores all grant applications to determine the
grant recipients based on the highest scores.
William Gibson, MD, The University of British Columbia, Child & Family Research Institute
Cynthia Lynn Sherwin Chair of Research: $25,000
Awarded for: Exome Sequencing Study of Dominant Mutations in Familial Brain Aneurysms
Itender Singh, MD, Washington University in St. Louis
North Shore University Hospital Brain Aneurysm Center Chair of Research: $25,000
Awarded for: The Role of Cyclophilin A in Blood-­rain Barrier, Neurionflammation and
Vasospasm after Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Justin M. Caplan, MD, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Step for Hope Chair of Research: $25,000
Awarded for: The Role of Neural Stem Cells in Learning and Memory in Experimental
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Ashish Sonig, MD, University at Buffalo
The Shirley Dudek Demmer Chair of Research: $25,000
Awarded for: MicroRNA in Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms: Fostering a Mechanism
of Early Detection
Koji Hosaka, PhD, University of Florida
Kristen’s Legacy of Love Chair of Research: $20,000
Awarded for: Mechanism of Aneurysm Progression and Healing: Differential Roles of
Macrophages in Distinct Phases of Inflammation
Kimberly P. Kicielinski, MD, University of Alabama at Birmingham
The Maine’s KAT Walk & Karo-­5K Chair of Research: $25,000
Awarded for: Correlation of Cerebral Aneurysm Wall Structure on OCT Images with Flow
Models of Wall Shear Stress: A Pilot Study
Aichi Chien, PhD, The Regents of the University of California, Los Angeles
Timothy P. Susco Chair of Research: $25,000
Award for: Longitudinal Analysis of Aneurysm 3D Morphology Changes and their Influence
on Rupture Risk in Clinically followed Growing Aneurysms
Douglas J . Cook, MD, Queens University
The Ellie Helton Chair of Research: $15,000
Awarded for: Probing the Link between Indolent Aneurysmal Dome Infection
and Brain Aneurysm Growth and Rupture
Hui Meng, PhD, The State University of New York at Buffalo
The Carol W. Harvey Memorial Chair of Research: $25,000
TeamCindy – Alcatraz Chair of Research: $10,000
Awarded for: Development of Blood-­Based Biomarkers for Brain Aneurysm Detection:
Stage II Model Development
Christoph J . Griessenauer, MD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
The Doris A. Connor Memorial Chair of Research: $15,000
Awarded for: The Role of Anti-­Angiogenic Factors Soluble Fms-­Like Tyrosine Kinase-­1 (sFlt-­1)
and Soluble Transforming Growth Factor B (TGFB) Co-­Receptor Endoglin (sEng) in the
Pathophysiology of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia
Jung M. Park, MD PhD student, University of Iowa
Karen M. Schurr Memorial Chair of Research: $10,000
Awarded for: The Role of Inflammation and Myeloperoxidase in Cerebral Aneurysm
Formation and Rupture
Mohammad Amin Adibi, University of Calgary
Christopher C. Getch Chair of Research (sponsored by the CV Section): $10,000
Awarded for: Intravenous Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy on Aneurysm Formation
in a Rabbit Model
Shakira Brathwaite, St. Michael’s Hospital
Dawn Brejcha Chair of Research: $10,000
Awarded for: Role of Toll-­like Receptor 4 Signaling in Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Brain Aneurysm Foundation | 5