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The scientific sessions of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation’s annual Research Grant Symposium are an important way for researchers to share their ideas. The scientific cross-fertilization opportunities are immense. Equally important are the connections made between the scientists and clinicians and the potential for future collaborations between them.
At this year’s event in Charleston, SC, more than 30 researchers from universities and hospitals across the US gave brief insights into what they’re working on, what they’ve discovered, and what they’re hoping to achieve. It gave a fascinating picture of the breadth of research that’s taking place.
The projects funded by BAF cover the full gamut of the aneurysm journey. How can aneurysms be better detected, and might it be possible to predict their presence or formation in advance? How do they form, grow, and rupture? How are they best treated, and what new potential treatments are in the pipeline? And how might the life-threatening side effects of subarachnoid hemorrhage, such as vasospasm, be prevented and treated?
About one in 50 people is living with a brain aneurysm, yet the federal government’s science funding programs spend just $2.08 a year on aneurysm research for each person affected in the US. This is why BAF research grants are so important, kick-starting and supporting projects that might otherwise not have happened.
This year, another 17 projects have been awarded vital funding support by BAF. Over the past couple of decades, BAF has provided nearly $5.5 million in grants, funding essential research into the cause, effects, and treatment of aneurysms. Without our backing, much of this critical science would have been impossible, and many important discoveries would not have been made.
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