Amount Requested: $2,174,000

This project will provide seed money for the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston's Center for Translational Neuroinformatics (CTNI) for equipment and faculty recruitment.  Translational neuroinformatics is the melding of the computer, engineering, behavioral and neurological sciences to develop earlier diagnostics, better treatments and new approaches to cures for neurological diseases and disorders. At the CTNI, computer simulations at the molecular level will help scientists learn more about causes; biomedical engineering will enable better diagnostics and treatments; and computer modeling of behaviors will lead to the development of adaptive technologies to extend independent living.  This project will help lead to breakthroughs in the understanding, prevention and treatment of developmental and neurodegenerative diseases including autism, Alzheimer’s and brain injury. It will also provide for the accelerated exploration and clinical testing of new pharmacological agents and new neurological and behavioral interventions, with a reduced need for animal and human testing.