Huntington Medical Research Institutes
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our research focuses on the fundamental causes and treatment therapies for Alzheimer's disease, migraines, and Cardiovascular disease.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Aging and Alzheimer's Disease Study
Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s affects over 5 million Americans ruining lives and families. It is a degenerative disease that slowly destroys brain cells, leading to a decline in memory and thinking skills. In this study, Dr. Michael Harrington and the neuroscience team have detected adverse Alzheimer’s-like chemistry even in subjects that have not yet developed symptoms. The Alzheimer’s-like chemistry can predict future development of dementia. Their goal is to develop a simple test, to screen for the disease and discover underlying causes, which will allow for effective treatments.
The Migraine Study
Migraine affects 12% of the adult US population. Its cause is unknown and treatment methods are not satisfactory, it causes major disability, and impacts jobs and productivity. Dr. Harrington’s group has found a common pathway, brain sodium regulation, that governs who gets migraine, and when and why they get it. The goal is to develop treatments to stop the wild swings of sodium that occur with migraine and bring relief.
Cardiovascular Health
Cardiovascular Research - Robert Kloner, Director
Heart Attack is a major killer of men and women. Heart attacks occur when blood flow to the heart muscle gets cut off. The bigger the heart attack (lots of cells die) the more likely it is to cause death or heart failure, because the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body’s oxygen needs. Our goal is to reduce the size of heart attacks by using experimental drugs and noninvasive techniques, cooling and pre-conditioning. We think these techniques will preserve heart muscle cells and enhance the ability of the heart to pump blood. These therapies have the potential to save millions of lives each year and improve the quality of life after a heart attack.
Advanced Imaging Research
Advanced Imaging Research
Aging Study. Using the MR machine, we have a brain stress test available at only a handful of MR centers, that measures damage to blood vessels in the brain as people age. This blood vessel damage may contribute to dementia. If we can identify this damage with our test, there are known treatments that we can apply to help blood vessels work better, that may ultimately help prevent dementia. Using MRS we measure chemicals in the brain that can help predict who is at greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease prior to onset of symptoms. Early identification of Alzheimer’s changes is vital to determine who may benefit from future preventive therapies.
HIV/Aging Study
HIV/Aging Studies. Treatment for HIV has significantly improved the quality of life for patients but even with treatment many show accelerated brain aging. This may result in a future epidemic of dementia among the chronic survivors of HIV. We are studying whether damage to the brain blood vessels in HIV is damaging the brain. Therapies that are known to improve blood vessel function may help prevent dementia.
Angiogenesis and Brain Development
One in four people in the USA and worldwide suffers from some form of neuropsychiatric illness during their life. While drugs and therapies exist to treat some of the symptoms, there are no cures. Dr. Vasudevan’s research program investigates several key events of brain development and the ways those can go wrong, with the long-term goal of ensuring that early brain development remains on track. The lab uses a combination of developmental biology, genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, and imaging techniques in their research.
Where we work
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of briefings or presentations held
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Age groups
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Presentations were held throughout the year via ZOOM
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
HMRI seeks to discover diagnostic tests that will be helpful to screen and/or diagnose early pre-symptomatic Alzheimer's disease and Cardiovascular disease.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Strategies being implemented to accomplish HMRI goals include the following:
I. Alzheimer's Strategies: HMRI designed and evaluated the following tests to screen and/or diagnose early pre-symptomatic Alzheimer's disease:
1. Urine Test: HMRI has improved the mass spectrometry methods to identify lipids that change in the urine of our high-risk Study Participants. Specifically, HMRI has designed simpler tests that do not require the mass spectrometry. This is essential to make this process, a practical and future urine test for AD.
2. Blood Test: HMRI has extended the blood test to 5 more Study Participants. This test involves a complicated preparation of the Study Participant’s white blood cells, which is then assessed for mitochondrial damage. Our progress on this project has been slow with research personnel departures and complexities of the technique. However, HMRI has recruited and trained a new technician and we expect to make substantial progress in the coming year.
3. Brain Challenge Test: Our research continues to show that simple cognitive testing while wearing a dry electrode EEG helmet reveals that high risk Study Participants must use more of their brain to accomplish simple tasks. We have published the first paper on this Brain Challenge Test (see HMRI’s Peer-Reviewed Publications below). HMRI has developed another promising test that evaluates the social influence on decision making. This new test predicts high risk Study Participants who are at risk because they are unable to discern the undue influence of con artists or thieves attempting to steal assets. Such high-risk Study Participants may also lack the ability to properly manage their finances, resulting in possible bankruptcy. Based on our research, appropriately 5% of people with AD are taken advantage of financially, leading to financial loss or bankruptcy. This test may help identify individuals at high risk AD before they lose their wealth.
4. Retinal Test: HMRI has completed a detailed analysis of our retinal optical coherence tomography. Significance-This test detects lost retinal neurons in high risk Study Participants, and its predictability is 80% accurate in showing which individuals that will have an abnormal spinal fluid biochemistry. We have been invited to give an oral presentation of this work at this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC).
II. Strategies Implemented Regarding Cardiovascular Disease
1. Tests to discover new therapies to limit damage during a heart attack.
2. Tests to discover new therapies to reduce mortality in an experimental model of hemorrhagic shock.
3. Testing to discover the effect of ecigarettes on the size of an acute heart attack.
4. Development of a noninvasive iphone application to assess both systolic and diastolic heart failure.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
HMRI is fully capable of accomplishing its goals with current staffing, leadership support, and a proactive support from the office of Development.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In 2020, HMRI presented 11 abstracts at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference and 6 abstracts at the American Heart Association . Additionaly HMRI PIs submitted 30 peer-reviewed journal articles. Here are some of the peer reviewed articles:
Rezkalla SH, Kloner RA. Viral Myocarditis: 1917-2020: From the Influenza A to the COVID-19 Pandemics. Trends Cardiovasc Med. 2020 Dec 28:S1050-1738(20)30168-7. doi: 10.1016/j.tcm.2020.12.007. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33383171.
Fonteh AN, Chiang AJ, Arakaki X, Edminster SP, Harrington MG. Accumulation of Cerebrospinal Fluid Glycerophospholipids and Sphingolipids in Cognitively Healthy Participants With Alzheimer's Biomarkers Precedes Lipolysis in the Dementia Stage. Front Neurosci. 2020 Dec 16;14:611393. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2020.611393. PMID: 33390893; PMCID: PMC7772205.
Zhao L, Dai W, Carreno J, Shi J, Kleinman MT, Kloner RA. Acute administration of nicotine induces transient elevation of blood pressure and increases myocardial infarct size in rats. Heliyon. 2020 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05450.
Wei K, Tran TT, Chang PW, Malekie A, Chu K, Alhilali L, Borzage MT, Mena E, Harrington MG, King KS. MRI Automated T1 Signal Intensity Detection of Diffuse Brain Manganese Accumulation in Cirrhosis. J Neuroimaging. 2021 Jan;31(1):186-191. doi: 10.1111/jon.12781. Epub 2020 Nov 4. PubMed PMID: 33146918
Rochart R, Liu Q, Fonteh AN, Harrington MG and Arakaki X. Compromised Behavior and Gamma Power During Working Memory in Cognitively Healthy Individuals With Abnormal CSF Amyloid/Tau. Front. Aging Neurosci., 14 October 2020. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2020.574214.
Subburaju S, Kaye S, Choi YK, Baruah J, Datta D, Ren J, Kumar AS, Szabo G, Fukumura D, Jain RK, Elkhal A, Vasudevan A. NAD+-mediated rescue of prenatal forebrain angiogenesis restores postnatal behavior. Sci Adv. 2020 Oct 9;6(41):eabb9766. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abb9766. PMID: 33036972; PMCID: PMC7546698.
Shaowei Wang, Boyang Li, Victoria Solomon et al. Calcium-dependent cytosolic phospholipase A2 activation is implicated in neuroinflammation and oxidative stress associated with ApoE4, 15 September 2020, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [+https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-68804/v1+]
Kleinman MT, Arechavala RJ, Herman D, et al. E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury Produced in an Animal Model From Electronic Cigarette Vapor Exposure Without Tetrahydrocannabinol or Vitamin E Oil [published online ahead of print, 2020 Sep 8]. J Am Heart Assoc. 2020;e017368. doi:10.1161/JAHA.120.017368
Shi J, Dai W, Carreno J, Zhao L, Kloner RA.
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Huntington Medical Research Institutes
Board of directorsas of 07/15/2021
Mr. James Gamb, CFA
Dr. Susan Kane
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
Transgender Identity
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data