Meet the Researchers Searching for Cures
In 2026, donor generosity has helped fund over $9 million in research grants to 20 research teams investigating the full spectrum of the brain. This is why the American Brain Foundation exists: to fund research that will improve lives.
Read more about these brilliant scientistsAmerican Brain Foundation Global Ambassador and National Chair for Brain Health Advancement
Selma Blair
We are honored and thrilled to welcome iconic actress, author, and advocate Selma Blair as our Global Ambassador and National Chair for Brain Health Advancement.
In 2018, Selma publicly shared her diagnosis with relapsing multiple sclerosis or RMS, becoming a fearless voice for disability awareness. Selma’s story is a remarkable journey from symptoms to diagnosis, treatment, and advocacy.
OUR VISION
Life without brain disease
For 30 years, we have funded research across a broad spectrum of brain and nervous system diseases and disorders in the pursuit of improved treatments, prevention, and cures. We focus on the full spectrum of brain diseases and disorders because we believe that when we cure one disease, we will cure many.
DRIVEN TO FIND A CURE
About the American Brain Foundation
We bring together the most respected researchers, brain disease organizations, and individual donors to achieve our shared goals.
Cure One, Cure Many
Our whole-brain approach recognizes the interconnectedness of brain conditions and supports innovation through research by the best and brightest scientists. By examining the whole brain, we get the whole picture. When we cure one brain disease, we will cure many.
Brain Disease’s Impact
There are over 1 billion people across the globe whose lives are impacted by brain diseases like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, stroke, migraine, epilepsy, and more. Our goal is to bring that number to zero.
Funding Brain Disease Research
Through programs like our Next Generation Research Grants and the Cure One Cure Many research award, we are committed to funding the innovative research of early-career and established investigators, encouraging a passion for research and laying the groundwork for the cures of tomorrow.
Learn MoreGet Involved
Together, we can outsmart brain disease. Make your donation today to help make life without brain disease a reality.
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Orlena
Orlena was driving with her young daughter in the car when she suffered a stroke because of a rare brain vessel disorder called Moyamoya. After two brain surgeries and six months unable to care for her daughter, Orlena began to reclaim her independence and became a Moyamoya advocate.
Read More of Orlena’s Story
ABF Stories
Orlena
Zoe
At 15 years old, Zoe has been navigating her Tourette syndrome diagnosis for eight years. “I had to figure out at a young age how my emotions affect my tics, from good to awful ways. It has been frustrating to figure out on my own and learn to deal with. This was the first moment in my life where my parents couldn’t fix something for me.”
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ABF STORIES
Zoe
Sasha
Sasha was diagnosed with epilepsy after sustaining a soccer-related brain injury in high school. Since then, Sasha has worked to find both a treatment that controlled her seizures and a career that fulfilled her desire to care for others. “Life isn’t meant to be lived taking multiple medications and having seizures you can’t control.”
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ABF STORIES
Sasha
Ken Jr.
Before frontotemporal lobe dementia, sometimes called Pick’s disease, Ken Keene Sr. was a respected community member and a handyman who could fix anything. For his oldest son and namesake Ken Keene Jr., there was nothing his father couldn’t do: “To my family, he was just that super dad. Then all of a sudden he’s reaching out for help.”
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ABF STORIES
Ken Jr.
Morgan
It started with a twinge. After a simple surgery and some physical therapy, Morgan wasn’t getting better. It took two more surgeries before she was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) type II.
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ABF STORIES
Morgan
Kelly
In 2018, Kelly was diagnosed with glioblastoma after an MRI confirmed that a golf-ball-sized tumor above her right ear was affecting the left side of her body. After surgery to remove the tumor, Kelly was able to get through her darkest days with a healthy dose of humor. Now she is an advocate for other patients living with strokes and brain tumors.
Read More of Kelly’s Story
ABF STORIES
Kelly
Nancy
When her father was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2005, Nancy quickly shifted into the role of his caregiver. Nancy and her sisters drew from their individual strengths to provide their father with medical assistance and emotional support until his passing in 2012. At that time, he was diagnosed again with Lewy body dementia. “No matter what your financial situation, there’s probably going to be help out there… Just don’t do it alone, because burning yourself out is not going to help anybody.”
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ABF STORIES
Nancy
Maureen
Maureen worked as a high school English teacher until she started experiencing a confusing array of symptoms that affected her ability to work, along with her relationships with family and friends. After visiting numerous specialists for years, Maureen received a delayed diagnosis of Lewy body dementia. Now Maureen wants to raise awareness about what life is like with living with this disease. “I felt that I just wanted to offer something to this community that I hadn’t been able to find really”.
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ABF STORIES
Maureen
Joey
For the first 32 years of his life, Joey experienced seizures from epilepsy. For several years, Joey worked hard in his career as a pipe welder and in construction until his seizures started happening more frequently and intensely. Brain surgery became Joey’s only viable option for treatment. Doctors were unsure if Joey would be able to survive after finding more brain damage than expected, but he surprised everyone by thriving during his post-surgery recovery .
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ABF STORIES
Joey
Ben
At age 40, Ben was perfectly healthy and active until he started noticing the early symptoms of a neurological condition that weakened his physical movements. After a 2-year search for his diagnosis of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, he began his journey as an advocate for others living with rare diseases. Last year, Ben joined the board of the American Brain Foundation to further his impact.
Read More of Ben’s Story
ABF STORIES
Ben
Michele
In 2002, while her young daughter battled a fatal diagnosis of pons glioma, Michele experienced a life-threatening brain hemorrhage when a brain malformation she likely had since birth ruptured. She experienced drastic changes in the way her brain functioned, especially in regard to memory and spatial awareness. Today, Michele is still learning to adjust. “When someone’s brain is not functioning correctly it impacts everything in their life. It impacts how they think, how they feel about themselves, it’s a very hopeless space to be in as a person.”
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ABF STORIES
Michele
Matt
Matt is a husband, father, and professional photographer. Over the past 11 years, he has had surgeries and radiation to remove five benign brain tumors. Following the third surgery, he began to experience more struggles in his daily life. “I think the biggest loss is my relationship to my family. They saw me as the dad and strong. Now they can’t count on me as much. It’s important to support people with brain disease ‘cause it can happen to anybody.’”
Read More of Matt’s Story
ABF STORIES
Matt
Mary Jo
When she was in her early 30’s, Mary Jo’s relationship with her parents was forever altered by brain disease. Her father suffered a subdural hematoma, was diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy, and experienced a stroke while her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and dementia. “They’re a responsibility that I have to take care of as they have taken care of me.”
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ABF STORIES
Mary Jo
June and Ron
A few weeks after bringing their daughter Yael home from the hospital, parents Ron and June became concerned when her physical development didn’t seem to align with typical newborn milestones. However, doctors were not familiar with her rare disease, and reaching a diagnosis took determination. After Yael, who they lovingly called Yaya, was diagnosed with 4H leukodystrophy, the two determined parents have advocated for their young daughter’s care and started a foundation in her honor.
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ABF STORIES
June and Ron
Tom
Tom suffers from dystonia, a painful neurological movement disorder with no known cure. When he first started experiencing strange pains and cramps in his neck muscles, he saw chiropractors and physical therapists—but when this didn’t help, Tom started down a long and painful road to an eventual diagnosis. Before his diagnosis at 30 years old, Tom was an athlete and an entrepreneur, but as his symptoms worsened, even performing everyday tasks became a challenge. Before long, the pain became debilitating. Over time, Tom learned to accept his new limitations and focus on his physical and mental health.
Read More of Tom’s Story
ABF Stories
Tom
Cure One, Cure Many Award
The American Brain Foundation’s Cure One, Cure Many Award supports breakthrough research in brain disease. The award provides large-scale, catalyst funding to the world’s top researchers who are pursuing the most innovative, cross-cutting approaches to finding diagnoses, treatments, and cures for brain disease. The award targets research topics that cut across multiple disease areas.
NEXT GENERATION RESEARCHERS
Working to Find Cures
The Next Generation Research Grants program funds and supports innovative investigations by the best and brightest early-career researchers working today to find the cures of tomorrow. We support their research across a broad spectrum of the brain and nervous system as they tackle things like identifying and treating ALS, developing treatments for Parkinson’s disease, predicting outcomes for TBI patients, and more.
BRAIN DISEASES AND DISORDERS
Brain Diseases From A-Z
Brain conditions come in many different forms and go by many different names. They affect the lives of one in three people worldwide, in addition to the lives of their family, friends, and caregivers. Learn more about the diseases, disorders, and injuries that affect the brain and nervous system, including ALS, dementia, brain tumors, headache, stroke, and more.
Support Brain Research
We need your help to continue to fund brain research projects and find cures. Stand with us in the fight against brain diseases and disorders.
Blog
News and Articles
Discover the latest news in brain disease research, hear stories from people affected by brain disease and their caregivers, read up on brain disease-specific information, and more.
How Cross-Disciplinary Care Is Reshaping Brain Tumor Treatment
What Is the Gut–Brain Axis?
Connie’s Story
Raj’s Story
5 Things about the Brain You Learned in School
Managing Genetic Brain Disease Risk
Doomscrolling and Its Effects on the Brain
Summer Heat and Its Effect on the Brain
