Mclaughlin Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences

During fiscal year 2021, the Institute scientists and staff continued their efforts to better understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease processes through innovative genetic approaches in murine models while expanding the program of translational Research, supplementing treatment advances. The Research focused largely on the mechanisms behind the propagation of protein misfolding in diseases such as frontotemporal dementia, alzheimer's and prion diseases, as well as novel treatment approaches. Such work included partnerships with up to ten collaborators and 25 projects among investigators with partnerships extending nationally to new york, Washington, Massachusetts, north carolina and Montana inclluding subawards contributing to $107,000 in grants and $692,000 in additional contracts. Efforts continued towards understanding huntington's disease in collaboration with investigators from western Washington university and the cure huntington's disease foundation; as well as making strides on investigator led studies and future funding opportunities with the national institutes of health. Investigators continued critical work and new treatment development screening in collaboration with several pharmaceutical companies and took to new directions in collaboration with the believe in a cure foundation focused on orphan disease reasearch for foxg1 syndrome. The Institute continued the efforts of the nih funded grant (awarded march 2018) in the amount of $405,000/year for five years to gain insight on neurotransmitters electrophysiology in neurodegenerative diseases. Totaling 1.75 million were receieved by the Institute that included a funding match campaign of $980,000 aimed at the successful recruitment of a new director. This was accomplished in early 2021 ultimately welcoming an additional scientist and additional nih funded researsch beginning at $15,000.

The Institute postponed the summer internship program due to covid-19 pandemic but was able to $5200 for future intern scholorships.