U of M's Taubman Institute Appoints Taubman Scholars

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ANN ARBOR — Two University of Michigan clinician-scientists will receive three-year grants  to pursue translational medical research aimed at helping patients with life-altering neurological disorders, the A. Alfred Taubman Medical Research Institute announced today.

Henry Paulson, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed a Taubman Scholar and will receive $150,000 per year for three years to pursue research into the causes and treatments of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. 

“I am honored to be selected a Taubman Scholar,” said Paulson. “With this award, the talented scientists in my lab can accelerate our push toward therapies for currently untreatable degenerative brain disorders.”

Brad Foerster, M.D., Ph.D., has been appointed a Taubman Emerging Scholar and will receive a grant of $50,000 per year for three years.   He uses multiple advanced imaging techniques to study brain alterations in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. 

“I am thrilled to be selected as an Emerging Taubman Scholar,” said Foerster.  “This award will allow me to study inflammatory changes in the brains of ALS patients and has the potential to reveal new opportunities for effective treatments.”

The Taubman Institute, founded in 2007 with a gift from businessman and philanthropist A. Alfred Taubman, provides financial support to physician-researchers who combine an active patient practice with laboratory research aimed at finding new therapies for disease. 

The Taubman Scholars program provides funding for selected senior U-M Medical School faculty who also are distinguished research scientists.  Currently the institute funds eight Taubman Scholars, whose research applies to diseases ranging from cancer and stroke to obesity and the complications of diabetes.  Since 2007, Taubman-funded science has led to 31 human clinical trials of novel therapies for disease.

The Taubman Emerging Scholars program is designed to encourage talented early-career junior faculty members to stay in the research arena, providing funds to establish their laboratories and the credentials necessary to pursue other grants.  The institute currently supports nine Emerging Scholars as part of its mission to encourage the next generation of medical science.