A NEW VISION FOR TREATING NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES
MS/PhD students and research assistants Kabir Ahluwalia, Andrew Mead and Zeyang (Rita) Li with Stan Louie and Isaac Asante of the Center for Neuronal Longevity
Could a new paradigm in digital health treat blinding disorders and possibly also be a conduit for therapies for other parts of the brain? A multidisciplinary team of world-renowned researchers at USC is exploring this exciting possibility. Building on decades of knowledge, the success of the world’s first Food and Drug Administration-approved retinal implant to restore sight to the blind and USC’s existing investments, the multidisciplinary team of the recently launched USC Center for Neuronal Longevity aims to tackle the formidable challenges of neurodegenerative diseases of the eye and brain. The center is a cross-campus, multi-school venture that brings together the Keck School of Medicine, Viterbi School of Engineering and the School of Pharmacy. Stan Louie, professor of clinical pharmacy, will lead the School of Pharmacy team and continue building on his longstanding collaboration with other investigators throughout the university. “The Center for Neuronal Longevity will deepen our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases—and transform the way we treat them,” USC President Carol L. Folt says. “By combining the work of three USC schools, interdisciplinary researchers will come together and explore new therapies that use cutting-edge technologies—and draw on those already being used to unravel the workings of the eye and brain. We are
incredibly excited to see the medical breakthroughs that will give new hope to people everywhere.” The Center for Neuronal Longevity seeks to further USC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion as well as workforce development through training, education and outreach programs, and includes external scientific and industry advisory boards. It also has a focus on developing close ties with industry leaders with the goal of helping accelerate development and translation of groundbreaking technologies into the clinic. While neurodegenerative diseases affecting the brain or peripheral nervous system are complex, all are caused when nerve cells stop working or die. Currently available therapies slow the progression of some neurodegenerative disorders but none can prevent, stop or reverse the damage—and many other disorders cannot even be slowed down. Using a pioneering approach, the USC scientists are delivering electromagnetic stimulation through a minimally invasive contact lens–like platform to slow, stop or even reverse the damage to nerve cells in the eye. Early preclinical studies have shown surface stimulation of the eye slows progressive blindness. And while their current focus is the eye, the researchers’ long-term goal is to apply the same technologies to alleviate neurodegenerative disorders of the brain, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
William A. Heeres, PharmD ’63, has been inducted into USC’s Half Century Trojans, which recognizes alumni who graduated at least 50 years ago. He continues to serve on the School of Pharmacy’s Board of Councilors after stepping down as chair last year. He has been a committed mentor to numerous students over the years and also chaired the school’s Boldly First fundraising initiative. In 2002, he and his wife established the William A. and Josephine A. Heeres Chair in Community Pharmacy, the first such chair in the nation.
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