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Neural Environment

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Neurological disorders may result when extra-neuronal cells are compromised, as in demyelinating and cerebrovascular diseases; when extra-neuronal cells themselves become aggressors, as in inflammatory responses within the nervous system; when cells of the nervous system become cancerous and form tumors; when viruses, bacteria, or parasites infect the cells of the nervous system; when autoimmune responses damage nerve and muscle; when cells of the blood-brain barrier are dysfunctional, or when glial dysfunction in the developing nervous system results in developmental abnormalities. Glial cells, microvascular endothelia, and cells of hematopoetic origin are integrally involved in the normal development and/or functioning of the nervous system and play a crucial role in disease. Emerging concepts on the interaction among all of these cells hold great promise for increasing our understanding of how the nervous system works in normal and diseased states, and will broaden our perspective on how we think about the nervous system.

The Neural Environment cluster promotes translating scientific knowledge into useful diagnostic tools, research on the implementation of preventive measures, and development and delivery of targeted therapeutic agents for neurological diseases.

Research areas supported by the Neural Environment:

The disease areas supported by Neural Environment cluster include: stroke,multiple sclerosis, CNS and PNS tumors, neuro-AIDS, prion diseases, CNS infections, tuberous sclerosis, and neurofibromatosis.  The Neural Environment cluster also supports several areas of basic neuroscience research including: glial cell biology, neuroimmunology, neurovirology, neural vascular biology, the blood brain barrier, and apoptosis.  Our grant portfolio spans basic and translational research, and some clinical trials.


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Neural Environment Funding Initiatives


Neural Environment Program Staff


Scientific Staff
Research Area
Jane Fountain, Ph.D.
Program Director
 Brain tumors,
Neurofibromatosis,
Tuberous Sclerosis,
Glial cell biology
Eugene Golanov, MD., Ph.D.
Program Director
 Neural mechanisms of stroke,
Hemorrhagic stroke,
Apoptosis and neuronal cell death
Thomas Jacobs, Ph.D.
Program Director
 Ischemic stroke,
Blood-brain barrier,
Neural vascular biology,
Glial cell biology
Ursula Utz, Ph.D.
Program Director
 Multiple sclerosis,
Neuroimmunology,
Glial cell biology
May Wong, Ph.D.
Program Director
 Neuro-AIDS,
Prion disease, Infectious diseases of the nervous system
Timothy LaVaute Ph.D.
Program Specialist 		 

Address


Neural Environment
Neuroscience Center
Room NSC 2110
6001 Executive Blvd.
Bethesda, Maryland 20892-9521
For courier service only, use Rockville, Maryland 20852
Call: (301) 496-1431