AUGUST 22, 2023

ATLANTA—Georgia State has established the new Wilczynski-Georgia Research Alliance Future Faculty Fellows in Neuroscience. The fellowships will support a cohort of three high-caliber postdoctoral students in Neuroscience with the goal of attracting and retaining exceptionally promising talent.

A series of brain scans

The collaborative project is funded by an endowed gift in memory of Dr. Walter Wilczynski, the Founding Director of the  Neuroscience Institute.

“We intend these fellowships to champion a culture of inclusion and serve to expand diversity in the field of neuroscience” said Dr. Deborah Greene, whose philanthropy initiated the program.

Additional support will come from the  Georgia Research Alliance , a public-private partnership that promotes new scientific discoveries and economic growth, as well as the  GSU Research Foundation , the  College of Arts & Sciences , the  Center for Behavioral Neuroscience  and the Neuroscience Institute.

“Georgia State’s research enterprise continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and these new fellowships will bring in top-notch neuroscientists to help us continue our growth and impact,” said Dr. Tim Denning, Vice President for Research and Economic Development at Georgia State. “It’s also a wonderful testament to the work of Dr. Wilczynski.”

Wilczynski became the Founding Director of the Neuroscience Institute at Georgia State in 2008, serving in the role for six years before returning to teaching and research. He was a mentor to numerous undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral research fellows.

The Wilczynski-Georgia Research Alliance Fellows will pursue research in strategically selected areas that capitalize on the strengths in the Neuroscience community at Georgia State and leverage the university’s intellectual and infrastructural resources.

“The College of Arts & Sciences is excited to launch this post-doctoral program,” said Dr. Sara Rosen, Dean of the college. “The program will provide a premier research experience to train and develop the next generation of researchers in neuroscience.”

“We are excited to welcome and support new neuroscience scholars to our vibrant research community with the goal of retaining exceptional talent for years of service to the Georgia State student base,” said Dr. Daniel N. Cox, Director of the Neuroscience Institute.

Potential home appointments for the postdoctoral fellows include the Neuroscience Institute, the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and the Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Sciences.

The fellowships will have a three-year term of support with funds for operating expenses and professional development as well as a footprint of laboratory space for building a research program.

“Neurologists are in short supply, yet more undergraduates are interested in studying neuroscience. These two trends underscore the importance of neuroscience faculty,” said Susan Shows, President and CEO of the Georgia Research Alliance. “The Wilczynski Future Faculty Fellows program will make a meaningful contribution to developing neuroscience faculty by bringing new talent to a strong program at Georgia State. The program is a big win for Georgia.”

Source: https://news.gsu.edu/2023/08/22/new-fellowships-established-in-honor-of-neuroscience-institute-founding-director/

Georgia Life Sciences Designates City of Atlanta as Newest BioReady® Community

By Sheran Brown • February 21, 2025
Georgia Life Sciences Designates City of Atlanta as Newest BioReady® Community

Bipartisan PBM Reform Back in Focus as House Committee Plans Hearing

By Sheran Brown • February 20, 2025
A renewed push for prescription drug cost reform is gaining momentum in Congress, with the House Energy and Commerce Committee's health subcommittee planning a hearing on pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform for late February. The hearing, to be led by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), signals a revival of bipartisan efforts to regulate these pharmaceutical intermediaries. PBMs, which negotiate drug prices for insurers and employers, have become a focal point in the broader discussion of healthcare costs. A previous bipartisan agreement to regulate these entities was crafted by Carter and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) in the last Congress, though it ultimately stalled when the larger spending bill it was attached to faced opposition. The reform efforts enjoy broad support from both parties and the president, making it one of the few areas with potential for bipartisan cooperation. However, new complications have emerged as Republicans consider using PBM regulations to generate savings for their broader policy agenda, potentially requiring up to $880 billion in cost reductions. The path forward remains uncertain, with ongoing debates about whether such reforms would qualify for budget reconciliation and whether using PBM regulations as a funding mechanism could derail bipartisan cooperation. Meanwhile, stakeholders continue to disagree on the impact of additional PBM regulation, with pharmaceutical companies arguing that PBMs inflate drug costs while PBMs contend that new regulations would increase prices.

Council on State Biotechnology Associations says NIH funds are a critical component of innovation ecosystem

By Sheran Brown • February 20, 2025
The Council of State Biotechnology Associations (CSBA) has issued a strong warning about proposed cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, emphasizing the critical role these grants play in America's biotech innovation ecosystem. The statement, below , comes amid concerns over recent guidance that would reduce NIH funding to key research institutions. ----------------------- “Today, the US biotech industry employs nearly 2.3 million people across the US and is making positive contributions to economic impact and national security across all 50 states. In fact, for every dollar the National Institutes of Health (NIH) contributes to a successful drug, the private sector invests over $65, underscoring the agency’s unparalleled return on investment. As the associations representing the bioscience industry across the nation, the Council on State Biotechnology Associations (CSBA) is concerned by recent guidance that would cut funding provided by the NIH to universities, hospitals, and other institutions that perform critical early-stage research. NIH grant funds are a critical component of our innovation ecosystem. Grants for basic research are the spark that leads to university-driven discoveries, with public-private partnerships and tech transfers that bridge early-stage research to industry-sponsored drug development and ultimately to FDA approved medical advances for hundreds of diseases. While the administration looks for greater efficiency in the use of taxpayer dollars, it cannot be overstated - once scientific innovation moves abroad, it may never return. In the race for scientific innovation around the world, as our adversaries continue to increase government investments in research, we encourage President Trump to follow suit and ensure that we maintain our global leadership in an industry that was created and thrives across the US.”
MORE POSTS
Share by: