Andrea Pena

January 2026 — As a direct result of the Florida Brain Injury State Action Plan and the collaborative work of the Florida Brain Injury Advisory Board, a new Brain Injury Wallet Card has been created and is now being distributed across Florida to support individuals living with acquired brain injury.  Developed through a partnership between Disability Rights Florida (DRF), Brain Injury…

The UF Brain Injury, Rehabilitation, and Neuroresilience (BRAIN) Center is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Big Ideas Initiative, a competitive seed funding program that supports forward-thinking, interdisciplinary research in brain injury and neuroresilience. Funded by Florida’s Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Trust Fund (BSCIRTF), this initiative…

Dr. Michael Jaffee, Director of the University of Florida Brain Injury, Rehabilitation, and Neuroresilience (BRAIN) Center and Chair of the Department of Neurology, has been appointed to a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) consensus committee. Dr. Jaffee will serve on the Committee to Review Neurodegenerative Outcomes and…

Florida Gators starting quarterback DJ Lagway is making an impact on and off the football field. The DJ Lagway Foundation hosted a kickoff dinner in March raising $50,000 to support UF Health community programs for local youth. The money will fund the UF Brain Injury, Rehabilitation and Neuroresilience (BRAIN) Center to provide essential resources for local youth. Those resources include concussion education outreach, community partnerships, parent‑ and coach‑advocacy tools and better sleep health.

Nearly 1 million Floridians are living with the effects of brain injury and, for many, access to rehabilitation and resources is a challenge. Now, experts from the University of Florida’s Brain Injury, Rehabilitation, and Neuroresilience Center and partners at the advocacy group Brain Injury Florida are taking a big step…

Two powerful stories of perseverance took center stage Wednesday evening at an MBI Insights event called “The Resilient Brain: Patient Journeys & Neuroplasticity,” which explored real-world impacts of rehabilitation science and the brain’s ability to change and adapt, known as neuroplasticity.

Gainesville, FL – February 26, 2025 – The Brain Injury, Rehabilitation, and Neuroresilience (BRAIN) Center celebrated cutting-edge neuroscience research last night at the University of Florida College of Medicine Celebration of Research by awarding the top three posters in brain injury and neurorehabilitation. These awards highlight the innovative work of…

Lake Nona, FL – Under leadership from the University of Florida’s BRAIN Center and in collaboration with Brain Injury Florida, brain injury experts, and advocates from across Florida convened in Lake Nona for a strategic retreat focused on crafting Florida’s next Brain Injury State Action Plan. The gathering brought together…

On January 14, 2025, the University of Florida’s McKnight Brain Institute (MBI) hosted “One Image, 100 Words,” a dynamic seminar featuring 24 investigators who each presented a single compelling image accompanied by a brief description of their neuroscience research. The event, attended by over 120 faculty members and students, showcased…