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University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Charles R. Drew University for Science and Medicine 

Grant Information

$5,000,000
Amount
2023
Year Awarded
Dana Frontiers
Program

In partnership with the Dana Foundation, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Charles R. Drew University for Science and Medicine (CDU) will establish a collaborative Dana Center for Neuroscience & Society. Drawing upon principles of human-centered design (HCD) and partnering with members of underrepresented communities, the Center will develop a novel community-participatory and community-embedded approach to neuroscience research and training. Building on the institutional infrastructure of UCLA (the nation’s top-ranked public university) and CDU (one of the leading Historically Black Health Science Institutes and a Hispanic Serving Institution), as well as the local infrastructure of Los Angeles County (among the most diverse counties in the country), the Center will bring together scholars from the neurosciences, social sciences, and humanities to work with clinician-scholars and community partners to develop new approaches and pedagogies that improve the societal consequences of neuroscientific knowledge. The Center aims to transform how neuroscience is conducted so that it serves all sectors of society. A starting point for the Center will be the lived experiences of those whose needs and expertise have been historically underrepresented. In partnership with the Dana Foundation, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Charles R. Drew University for Science and Medicine (CDU) will establish a collaborative Dana Center for Neuroscience & Society. Drawing upon principles of human-centered design (HCD) and partnering with members of underrepresented communities, the Center will develop a novel community-participatory and community-embedded approach to neuroscience research and training. Building on the institutional infrastructure of UCLA (the nation’s top-ranked public university) and CDU (one of the leading Historically Black Health Science Institutes and a Hispanic Serving Institution), as well as the local infrastructure of Los Angeles County (among the most diverse counties in the country), the Center will bring together scholars from the neurosciences, social sciences, and humanities to work with clinician-scholars and community partners to develop new approaches and pedagogies that improve the societal consequences of neuroscientific knowledge. The Center aims to transform how neuroscience is conducted so that it serves all sectors of society. A starting point for the Center will be the lived experiences of those whose needs and expertise have been historically underrepresented. The Dana Center will be a creative incubator for generating new ways to develop research collaborations, train the next generation of scholars, and affect social change in ways that genuinely partner with community members. 

Learn More About How We Advance Brain Science for a Better Future

To ensure a positive future, we must better connect neuroscience to the needs of society. We must strive to make the field more inclusive and collaborative. By opening the field up to diverse perspectives, working in closer partnership with other disciplines, and deepening our engagement with the general public, neuroscience can contribute to the flourishing of everyone.

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