More than 70 researchers from over 15 University of Florida departments and partner institutions gathered on August 7 at the Austin Cary Forest Campus for the UF Brain Injury Research Workshop, co-sponsored by the UF BRAIN Center, the UF BREATHE Center, and the McKnight Brain Institute.
This one-day event featured a series of short, 10-minute presentations on topics such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), neuroimaging, biomarkers, treatment interventions, and acquired neural injury. Faculty and postdoctoral researchers presented their current projects, shared key findings, and discussed goals for future research. Lunch included a structured brainstorming session where participants generated new research ideas and explored strategic directions for interdisciplinary funding proposals.
Leadership and Vision
The day began with remarks from Dr. Michael Jaffee, Director of the BRAIN Center, and Dr. Gordon Mitchell, Director of the BREATHE Center, who outlined the missions of their respective centers.
The BRAIN Center (Brain Injury, Rehabilitation, and Neuroresilience) works to advance research, education, and clinical care in brain injury, spanning prevention, acute care, rehabilitation, and long-term recovery. The BREATHE Center (Breathing Research and Therapeutics) focuses on understanding and improving respiratory health, with a special emphasis on conditions where breathing is impaired due to neurological injury or disease. Together, they aim to bridge basic, clinical, and translational work to address the complex challenges of brain injury and its impact on neural and respiratory systems.
“Workshops like this are essential for connecting UF’s remarkable community of researchers,” said Jaffee. “Everyone brings unique expertise, resources, and approaches to advancing translational and clinical science. By introducing colleagues who may not yet know each other, we open the door to collaborations that can accelerate discovery and help us better serve the people impacted by brain injury.”
Looking Ahead – The “Big Ideas” Initiative
Building on the momentum from the workshop, the BRAIN, BREATHE, and MBI are launching the Brain Injury “Big Ideas” Initiative – Fall 2025. This program will invite UF faculty and postdocs to submit innovative, collaborative concepts with the potential to advance prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and recovery in brain injury.
Short pitch submissions will be due September 5, with selected teams invited to further develop their ideas with Center leadership. Full guidelines and the submission link are available at bit.ly/4lhEwvf.
