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Hope Center Faculty Expands Dramatically

The faculty of the Hope Center has grown by 30 percent over the last year, expanding from 52 Primary Investigators (PI) to 68. Since each PI heads a team of scientists, as many as 484 researchers are now doing collaborative translational research at the center.

This dramatic growth since the center opened in January 2005 reflects the validity of Chris Hobler’s dream of collaborative research to fast-track the search for cures. It also reflects the fact that Hope Center scientists are making breakthroughs that show great promise, such as:

• A breakthrough gene therapy shown to slow or stop progression of Parkinson’s disease.
• Evidence that certain types of nerve damage caused by Alzheimer’s disease can be undone, suggesting that some symptoms of the disease may be reversible.
• Identification of a protein that delays the breakdowns of axons, the part of the brain cell that broadcasts nerve impulses to other neurons. This has implications for new treatments for ALS, Alzheimer’s, MS and other neurological disorders.

Finally, this growth reflects the world-class status of the scientists at Washington University and the outstanding work of its leadership team: Dr. David Holtzman, Chair, Neurology and Dr. Mark Goldberg, Director. Meet the faculty.