This mission touches all aspects of neuroscience from molecules to the mind, from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside. Our projects span traditional disciplinary boundaries, as do our graduate and postdoctoral training programs. The BRI accelerates the movement of ideas from "bench to bedside to business," as our scientists explore ways to reduce the burdens that brain disorders impose on patients, families, and society.

The BRI’s overarching goal—and its major achievement—has been to foster and improve multidisciplinary collaborations. This work has increasingly permitted the identification of pathogenic mechanisms and the formulation of new therapeutic approaches. Among the research areas that exemplify such translational collaborations are Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, neurofibromatosis, stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Advances in these areas are contributing to UCLA’s emergence as a leader in translating basic neuroscience research into clinical and technological applications.