In case you missed it, the White House announced this week their new initiative to fund research focusing on neuroscience innovation.
“The BRAIN Initiative — short for Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies — builds on the President’s State of the Union call for historic investments in research and development to fuel the innovation, job creation, and economic growth that together create a thriving middle class.” BRAIN Initiative Challenges Researchers to Unlock Mysteries of Human Mind http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/04/02/brain-initiative-challenges-researchers-unlock-mysteries-human-mind
Here is a brief introduction to the project from NIH Director, Francis Crick.
On The Clock: The BRAIN Initiative http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slQ8ELULNP0
Shout out for President Obama for the Bold Plan to Map the Human #Brain tinyurl.com/bu8ye8f via @mashable” @hcldr #HCLDR #Medicine
— Elin Silveous (@ElinSilveous) April 3, 2013
President Obama Speaks on the BRAIN Initiative and American Innovation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJuxLDRsSQc
“So there is this enormous mystery waiting to be unlocked, and the BRAIN Initiative will change that by giving scientists the tools they need to get a dynamic picture of the brain in action and better understand how we think and how we learn and how we remember. And that knowledge could be — will be — transformative.” Remarks by the President on the BRAIN Initiative and American Innovation http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/02/remarks-president-brain-initiative-and-american-innovation
Here are a few useful resources.
BRAIN Initiative Infographic: http://www.whitehouse.gov/infographics/brain-initiative (PDF)
White House Blog: BRAIN Initiative Challenges Researchers to Unlock Mysteries of Human Mind http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/04/02/brain-initiative-challenges-researchers-unlock-mysteries-human-mind
White House Blog: President Obama Launches the “BRAIN” Initiative (all the links in one place) http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/04/02/president-obama-launches-brain-initiative
I was particularly impressed by the dialog on Twitter that fed into the live streamed question and answer session. Unfortunately, many on Twitter didn’t realize the answers to the questions were in the video stream and were not on Twitter. I have to agree that the process of utilizing Twitter was not well managed for this event.
I see all the BRAIN drain #WHChat questions for @whitehouse @whitehouseostp @nihdirector @darpa in my feed, but no answers. #WHtwitterfail
— Michael Tomasson (@MTomasson) April 2, 2013
That said, I will post here some of the questions which most intrigued me, with the video for the Q&A below.
What is the expected makeup for the #WHBrain Advisory Committee? Will patient groups be involved in goal setting? #WHChat
— Morgan Romine (@mhromine) April 2, 2013
How can #patient communities be involved? And what patient-relevant outcomes can they expect? When? #BRAIN #WHChat #medicalresearch
— FasterCures (@FasterCures) April 2, 2013
@whlive #WHChat How do you plan to engage the general public in the #BRAIN Initiative? This is of growing importance as we move forward.
— Amy Robinson (@amyleerobinson) April 2, 2013
RT @ecast_network: Who will represent the public re trust, societal implications BEFORE research begins? @nihdirector#BRAIN #WHChat
— scicheer (@scicheer) April 2, 2013
#WHChat #BRAINInitiative Do you think this will be our generation’s space race?
— Chris Bulin (@Arduanne) April 2, 2013
Not remotely enough $$$ RT @arduanne: #WHChat #BRAINInitiative Do you think this will be our generation’s space race?
— Drug Monkey (@drugmonkeyblog) April 2, 2013
Can you please address the concern that there will be a “BRAIN drain” of funds away from other reaearch areas. #WHChat @whitehouseostp
— Michael Tomasson (@MTomasson) April 2, 2013
The data generated by the #BRAINInititive will be made available as #OpenData, per @nihdirector #WHChat #OpenAccess #hcsm
— TheHealthPolicyGroup (@healthpolicygrp) April 2, 2013
+1 RT @jbkinney: Good post @emckiernan13 buff.ly/Z3cL9a #brainmap needs a lot more transparency. Public info on project is thin.
— Open Science Fedn (@openscience) April 2, 2013
#WHChat #BRAINInitiative Will there be any regulation on pharmaceutical implications?If there’s breakthrough, can patents be ltd?
— Chris Bulin (@Arduanne) April 2, 2013
Been following news on Brain Activity Map? Did you know many players hold patents related to project? wp.me/p2emGs-bA #brainmap
— Erin McKiernan (@emckiernan13) April 1, 2013
#WHChat can you anticipate near term consumer technology advances that might spin off this initiative? #brainmap
— Guy Eakin (@guyeakin) April 2, 2013
Speaking of #BrainInitiative, let’s talk about Neurologic #MusicTherapy y’all! Effective treatment for TBI, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.
— Brooke (@brookpluse) April 2, 2013
#HCLDR Obama announced today $100MM in NIH research on how the brain works. How great a role will music play in that?
— Ross D. Martin (@RossMartin) April 3, 2013
#WHChat the retina is an extension of the brain, is it included in te scope of the brain map
— Guy Eakin (@guyeakin) April 2, 2013
can you comment on the so-called “brain observatories” that have been discussed by some scientists involved? #WHChat @whitehouseostp
— Jason Pipkin (@jipkin) April 2, 2013
“where creativity & innovation needed, one of the worst things scientific community can do is…pursue a consensus plan” @mbeisen #brainmap
— Leonid Kruglyak (@leonidkruglyak) March 31, 2013
Promising to fix human diseases with $100M #BRAINI proposal will backfire. Wish someone knew how to sell basic science.
— Michael S Carroll (@nucAmbiguous) April 2, 2013
For more information, please see:
NIH: Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative: http://www.nih.gov/science/brain/
Open for Questions: The BRAIN Initiative http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNLjJi7ZSl4
And ….. closing with a gag. Gotta read the credits, folks!
Insert joke about Obama = Chicago = dead people voting = Zombies = funding for studying BRAINS. whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/04/0…#WHbrain
— Adam Shapiro (@TryingBiology) April 4, 2013
Emerging Technologies Librarian 