Hundreds gathered at Texas Children’s Forum Luncheon at the Hilton Americas in downtown Houston on September 24 to learn about a revolutionary new effort to unravel the mysteries of pediatric neurological diseases—the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute.  

A packed crowd of community leaders and Texas Children’s donors, friends and faculty looked on as Channel 13’s Melanie Lawson led an intimate interview with world-renowned scientist and Institute Director Huda Zoghbi, M.D. to discuss how Texas Children’s is planning to transform the way neurological disorders are studied and treated.

There are more than 600 neurological diseases including common disorders like autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and learning disabilities. These diseases affect more than one billion people worldwide—350 million of whom are children.  In the U.S. alone, it’s estimated that at least 14 million children suffer from neurological diseases, but we know these numbers are grossly underreported. 

To address this health crisis, Texas Children’s Hospital is building the world’s first dedicated facility to use a multidisciplinary research approach to understand the unique issues of a child’s brain structure, development patterns and related diseases.

According to Zoghbi, also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and professor at Baylor  College of Medicine, the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute will bring together more than 170 researchers across disciplines to collaborate and dramatically accelerate the search for answers behind what causes different neurological diseases. 

“By transforming the discovery process, we will shorten the amount of time it takes to turn those answers into actual treatments that will improve human lives and prevent future generations from suffering,” she said.

For Zoghbi, unlocking the puzzle of the nation’s leading neurological diseases and conditions is more than just an occupation —it’s her passion.  Moved by the plight of her patients, Zoghbi shifted her focus from a clinical emphasis to that of research.

“After seeing so many patients that I could not help, I realized I had to do something.  I could not sit idly by and deliver bad news for the rest of my life,” she shared.  “I felt that if I learned how to do research and identified genes, I could eventually find treatments.  I knew that time was of the essence so I started a demanding research program adding another three years to an already ten year track.” 

Her determination led her to become the first pediatric neurologist to seek rigorous basic science research training and the first adult and pediatric neuro-geneticist, fully trained in both specialized fields.  In addition, she gained valuable experience in both the clinic and the laboratory—a feat she feels gives her unique insight. 

“Having a dual background in the clinic and in the lab enables me to see things that others may not because I have seen and treated these patients.  When I am in the lab, I can factor in the various clinical observations which has helped to make significant basic scientific discoveries that I can then translate into therapies for patients,” Zoghbi said.  “It’s a true example of the phrase bench to bedside.”

With a bold vision, premier talent and more than half a century of expertise in genetics and medicine, the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute will be dedicated to giving adults and children with neurological diseases the opportunity to enjoy life without compromise. 

Zoghbi added, “This is the opportunity of a lifetime.  We are on the cusp of an incredible moment in human history, when prevention and treatment of many neurological diseases is within grasp, and the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute is poised to lead the way.”