A new global initiative by the Pershing Square Foundation recognizes eight pioneering scientists advancing breakthrough research in neuroscience and brain health.
The Pershing Square Foundation has announced the eight recipients of the 2026 “MIND” Prize (Maximizing Innovation in Neuroscience Discovery), an initiative designed to accelerate groundbreaking research into the human brain and cognitive health. By supporting bold and interdisciplinary scientific exploration, the foundation aims to transform how neuroscience research is conducted and foster discoveries that could reshape the understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
The MIND Prize program was created to encourage next-generation researchers to challenge existing scientific boundaries and collaborate across disciplines. Neuroscience is increasingly recognized as one of the most complex and urgent areas of scientific inquiry, particularly as the global population ages and conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia continue to affect millions of people worldwide. By investing in innovative thinkers and providing long-term funding, the foundation hopes to unlock new insights into how the brain functions, how neurological disorders develop, and how they might ultimately be prevented or treated.
Each of the eight awardees will receive $750,000 in funding, distributed as $250,000 annually over three years. The financial support is intended not only to enable high-risk, high-reward research but also to help scientists build collaborative networks that bridge traditional academic silos. The program promotes partnerships between universities, biomedical companies, philanthropic organizations, and business leaders, creating a broad ecosystem dedicated to advancing brain science.
According to the foundation, the prize is designed to catalyze interdisciplinary research efforts that combine fields such as genetics, molecular biology, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, and clinical medicine. The goal is to accelerate discoveries that can translate from laboratory findings into real-world solutions for patients suffering from neurodegenerative conditions.
Dr. Neri Oxman, trustee of the Pershing Square Foundation, highlighted the transformative potential of modern neuroscience and emerging technologies. She noted that advances in computational tools, imaging systems, and biological engineering are allowing researchers to examine the brain in unprecedented detail. Oxman emphasized that diseases such as Alzheimer’s are increasingly being viewed as potentially treatable conditions rather than inevitable consequences of aging.
She described the current moment as one where scientific breakthroughs may emerge from unexpected connections between fields—linking molecular biology with behavioral science, genetic risk factors with artificial intelligence models, and laboratory experiments with clinical data. The foundation believes that the new cohort of MIND Prize winners embodies this cross-disciplinary approach and represents a promising step toward unraveling the complexities of neurodegenerative diseases.
Research Projects Addressing Brain Aging and Neurodegeneration
Among the recipients is Dr. Sarah Ackerman from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Her research focuses on the exchange of mitochondria, the cell’s energy-producing structures, between neurons and supporting brain cells known as glia. Ackerman’s team will investigate whether this mitochondrial transfer is essential for maintaining brain health during aging. Using advanced imaging technologies and genetic tools across model organisms such as flies and zebrafish, as well as human brain samples, her work aims to reveal how disruptions in this process may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Another recipient, Dr. Corina Amor Vegas of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, is developing a novel immunotherapy strategy based on CAR T cell technology. While CAR T therapies are currently used in certain cancers, Amor’s research explores how engineered immune cells might target inflammatory aging cells located outside the brain that contribute to neurodegeneration. Her project aims to create next-generation CAR T therapies that can be generated directly inside the body, potentially offering safer and longer-lasting treatments for cognitive decline.
At the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease, Dr. Ryan Corces is investigating why many families with Alzheimer’s disease lack mutations in genes traditionally associated with the condition. By combining machine learning techniques with advanced genome-editing tools such as CRISPR, his research will search for hidden genetic variants that may drive the disease. Identifying these genetic factors could open new avenues for targeted therapies and improve understanding of hereditary risk.
Meanwhile, Dr. Pascal Geldsetzer from Stanford University is examining a surprising connection between vaccination and cognitive health. Previous observational studies suggest that vaccination against shingles may reduce the risk of dementia. Geldsetzer’s team will analyze clinical trial data to test whether this relationship holds true and to uncover the biological mechanisms that might explain the protective effect.
Dr. Daniel Hochbaum, affiliated with both Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, is studying how changes in hormone signaling may influence brain aging. His project focuses on thyroid hormone activity in the brain, specifically the hormone T3, and how inflammation may interfere with its production. By restoring normal T3 signaling in experimental models, Hochbaum hopes to determine whether hormonal therapies could help preserve cognitive function and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Breakthrough Imaging Technologies
Several MIND Prize winners are developing new tools that could revolutionize how scientists observe the brain. Dr. Guosong Hong of Stanford University is creating a groundbreaking imaging platform that allows researchers to visualize neural circuits deep within the brain over time. His technique involves a reversible method that temporarily renders the scalp, skull, and brain tissue transparent, enabling scientists to repeatedly image the same neurons in living mice. This could provide unprecedented insights into how neural connections deteriorate as memory loss progresses.
Similarly, Dr. Maxim Prigozhin from Harvard University is developing advanced microscopy technology capable of visualizing molecular markers and cellular structures simultaneously at nanometer resolution. His work focuses on creating specialized molecular tags that emit light when stimulated by an electron beam during electron microscopy. This method could allow scientists to map protein accumulations—such as amyloid plaques and tau tangles—within intact neural circuits in three dimensions.
Exploring the Gut–Brain Connection
The final awardee, Dr. Marissa Scavuzzo of the Institute for Glial Sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, is studying the role of enteric glia, specialized cells in the nervous system of the gut. Her research investigates how these cells regulate metabolism and inflammation and how disruptions in their function might influence neurodegenerative diseases through the gut–brain axis. By examining how diet, immune signaling, and environmental factors alter these cells, Scavuzzo’s work may reveal new therapeutic strategies that target gut biology to protect brain health.
A Distinguished Scientific Advisory Board
The selection of the 2026 MIND Prize winners was guided by an internationally recognized scientific advisory board composed of leading experts in neuroscience, medicine, and biotechnology. Among them are Nobel laureates and pioneering researchers including Richard Axel, James Rothman, and Michael Young. Other prominent members include innovators such as Ed Boyden of the MIT McGovern Institute for Brain Research and genome-engineering pioneer Feng Zhang of MIT and the Broad Institute.
This advisory board brings expertise from multiple fields—including genetics, neurotechnology, clinical medicine, and biotechnology—to ensure that the prize supports research with the greatest potential for transformative impact.
Advancing the Future of Brain Science
Through the MIND Prize, the Pershing Square Foundation hopes to nurture a community of scientists whose work can fundamentally change the understanding of the brain. By encouraging collaboration, providing sustained funding, and supporting unconventional ideas, the program aims to accelerate discoveries that could ultimately lead to effective therapies for devastating neurological disorders.
As global populations continue to age and neurodegenerative diseases become more prevalent, initiatives like the MIND Prize highlight the importance of sustained investment in neuroscience. The foundation believes that empowering innovative researchers today may lead to the medical breakthroughs needed to protect cognitive health for future generations.