In 2015, the Weil Institute received a $7M investment from the Joyce and Don Massey Family Foundation—a catalyst that would spark a chain reaction of rapid-fire innovation across the field of traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Research Teams Funded
New Diagnostics and Devices
U-M Departments
New Pioneering Therapeutics
Spin-off Companies Formed
New Predictive Analytic Tools
Follow-on Funding Received
Years Powered by Weil
Dr. Odette Harris, Professor of Neurosurgery at Stanford University School of Medicine, gives the keynote presentation at the 2020 Massey Grand Challenge kickoff event.
We have removed financial barriers to funding high-risk-high-reward research
The stats seen above are just a sample of what Weil and its members have accomplished through the Massey TBI Grand Challenge, a powerful funding avenue for multidisciplinary critical care research teams. The Grand Challenge framework addresses the barriers between concept and realization by providing unique tools and resources to funded teams. The intensive process includes TBI education sessions, two rounds of detailed proposal submissions, and project reviews by TBI experts from across the nation including U-M, industry, and the Department of Defense.
Weil Institute executive director Dr. Kevin Ward (left) and Dave Woodruff, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Bob Woodruff Foundation, have a “fireside” chat about TBI in our armed forces during the 2019 Massey TBI Summit.
We have built a nexus for leading TBI scientists and key opinion leaders
Our partnership with the Foundation has enabled us to bring together experts from across the globe through our Massey TBI Regional Conference and Joyce Massey TBI Summit events.
The Massey Regional Conference aims to improve the outcomes of those who suffer severe traumatic brain injuries by sharing the latest in the field, and by supporting technology development and translational and clinical research that impacts the “golden hours” of care. It is a day full of insightful lectures, roundtable discussions with field and industry leaders, and presentations from funded Massey TBI Grand Challenge teams.
The Joyce Massey TBI Summit brings together TBI experts from across the country to present their current research, discuss the future of the field and identify important barriers to improving outcomes. Since the inaugural Summit, we have welcomed the nation’s leading authorities and those who are just beginning their journey—a combination that opens the door to new ideas and possibilities.
We have forged strategic partnerships for a lifetime of impact
Partnering with the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Combat Casualty Care Research Program has provided our TBI research community with invaluable resources and opportunities for additional funding. DoD Neurotrauma leadership members form part of the Massey TBI Grand Challenge panel, assisting in reviewing proposals for funding, and providing mentoring to each of the funded teams.
Funded Projects
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
