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Penn State Neuroscience Institute
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The Penn State Neuroscience Institute (PSNI) is a cross-campus entity, with closely interacting components at the Hershey and University Park campuses, that facilitates collaborative, interdisciplinary interactions.
Hershey
At the Hershey campus, clinicians and clinical researchers collaborate with their basic scientist colleagues in a variety of departments across both campuses. Strengthened by Penn State’s multidisciplinary research community and connected to Penn State Health’s mission to provide excellent, compassionate, culturally responsive and equitable care, we elevate the meaning of transformative medicine. Our researchers, educators and trainees partner with our clinicians treating patients with disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, brain tumors, epilepsy, stroke and addiction, to study the neurobiological basis of these diseases, develop cutting-edge therapies and ultimately improve care for patients.
About the Institute
The Neuroscience Institute is led by Dr. Krish Sathian, MBBS, PhD, at Hershey and Nikki Crowley, PhD, at University Park.
Mission
Consonant with the missions of Penn State, Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health, the Penn State Neuroscience Institute facilitates the interdisciplinary integration of neuroscience research, education, community outreach and health care delivery, and fosters the synergies between these three missions.
Vision
The Neuroscience Institute is a nationally-recognized leader in the neurosciences, characterized by its outstanding collaborative neuroscience research, interdisciplinary educational programs, unified impact on the community, exemplary integrative clinical programs and vibrant synergies between its missions
Ways to Give to the Penn State Neuroscience Institute
At Penn State Neuroscience Institute, we are getting closer every day to discovering new, more effective treatments for neurological diseases that will save the memories, minds and lives of our loved ones. Your donations help the continued progress of our world-class patient care, education and research. Support PSNI by making a gift today or reach out to us to talk more about ways you can help advance the latest basic, translational and clinical neuroscience research, further education and training in neuroscience, and bring new treatments into the clinic.
With your help, we can continue to advance our research and provide patients with a better quality of life. Thank you for your partnership.
About Penn State Neuroscience Institute Endowments
Endowments are invested funds that draw on a portion of the investment proceeds to make a difference on an ongoing basis. Endowments can be created to support research (clinical, translational or basic science), education and community outreach missions.
2003
The Penn State Hershey Neuroscience Research Institute was established. Thomas Uhde, MD, chair, Department of Psychiatry at the time, was named Institute co-director. Bernard Luscher, PhD, director of Center for Molecular Investigation of Neurological Disorders, was interim co-director (2003-2008).
2007
The Penn State Hershey Clinical Neuroscience Institute was established. Robert Harbaugh, MD, then chair, Department of Neurosurgery, served as Institute director. At the time, the Institute focused on interdisciplinary clinical programs, such as the Stroke Center, as well as clinical neuroscience research.
2008
As dean of the College of Medicine, Harold Paz, MD, combined the two Hershey-based neuroscience institutes into the Penn State Institute of Neurosciences, under the direction of Dr. Harbaugh, director, and David Vandenbergh, PhD, professor of biobehavioral health, associate director.
2018
Krish Sathian, MBBS, PhD, chair of the Department of Neurology, was appointed director of the now renamed institute—Penn State Neuroscience Institute (PSNI).
2019
Patrick Drew, PhD, professor, Departments of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Neurosurgery, Biomedical Engineering and Biology, was appointed associate director, succeeding Dr. Vandenbergh.
2024
Nikki Crowley, PhD, then assistant professor, Departments of Biology and Biomedical Engineering, was appointed director of PSNI at University Park.
Neuroscience Centers at Penn State College of Medicine
Neuroscience Centers at Penn State Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences
Research and Grants
Clinical Research Office
The Clinical Research Office is dedicated to the coordination and management of human subjects research for the Penn State Neuroscience Institute, presently managing more than 90 investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored clinical research projects for the Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Neural and Behavioral Sciences.
Pre-Award
The Neuroscience Institute pre-award team currently consists of a grants and contracts manager and two pre-award specialists. This team provides pre-award support for the departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Participate in Research
Researchers, physicians and trainees in the Neuroscience Institute are regularly engaged in research to better understand and treat neurological and neural behavioral diseases. Clinical research opportunities are available in the following areas:
Addiction and substance abuse studies
Language and linguistics studies
Neurology studies
Sleep management studies
Education
The Neuroscience (NEURO) Graduate Program provides students curricular training with a broad focus on neuroscience, and the opportunity for concentrated research in a variety of disciplinary approaches to neuroscience such as biochemistry, cell biology, embryology, genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, physiology, structural biology, and virology. Students receive rigorous training that provides the skills necessary to be leaders in biomedical research and other endeavors that benefit from a rigorous scientific background, including education, law, journalism, and public policy.
The Neuroscience Graduate Program is an interdepartmental program that engages faculty from multiple basic science and clinical science departments. This broad-reaching Program provides students a wide ranging understanding of multiple disciplines with specific expertise in a chosen area, and encourages interdisciplinary research that is the hallmark of biomedical sciences in the 21st century.
The Neuroscience (NERV) Graduate Program at University Park is an Intercollege Graduate Degree Program affiliated with the Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, the Eberly College of Science, and the College of Engineering. The program provides pedagogical and research training in the field of neuroscience which is inherently interdisciplinary and spans from molecules to organisms and utilizes both animal and human models. Students receive training in research and communications skills to enable them to succeed in careers in biomedical research and other professional fields related to the discipline. The Neuroscience Graduate Program engages faculty from the Colleges of Agricultural Sciences, Engineering, Health and Human Development, Information Sciences and Technology, and Liberal Arts, and Eberly College of Science. Students gain a broad understanding of Neuroscience as well as specific expertise in their focused area of research.