New York Governor Kathy Hochul awarded Binghamton University a $500,000 grant as part of the first phase of the SUNY Brain Institute, a statewide neuroscience research network aiming to combat age-related brain disorders.

The SUNY Brain Institute is led by five SUNY schools, including BU, University at Buffalo, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, SUNY College of Optometry and SUNY Upstate Medical University. The $10 million, multi-campus initiative will develop research on disorders including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, strokes and cognitive decline. (1) The goal of the initiative is to share infrastructure, scientific expertise and research capabilities to improve health outcomes for New Yorkers.

“New York State is investing in transformative research that dives into issues affecting communities throughout the state,” Hochul said. “By connecting leading researchers and advanced infrastructures across New York, the SUNY Brain Institute will accelerate work on Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke and other age-related brain disorders to find cures so families in every community have the quality time together that they deserve.”

The SUNY Brain Institute was launched in 2025 and is funded by the capital support SUNY received from the 2025-26 state budget. The Brain Institute will allow collaboration among SUNY’s more than 600 faculty researchers in neuroscience.

“SUNY is leading innovative research to support and advance the public good for all New Yorkers,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “The SUNY Brain Institute’s work embodies SUNY’s commitment to using higher education and research to dive into critical issues affecting communities across the state. We thank Governor Hochul and state leaders for their continued investment in SUNY’s researchers, faculty and students who are working to improve lives and move New York State forward.”

One project included in this research is the “brain–on–a–chip”, led by Jungwook Paek, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and Anika Alim, a graduate student. This research aims to “establish advanced imaging and electrophysiological analysis infrastructure for studying living brain tissue models in small microfabricated devices, known as human brain-on-a-chip platforms.” With this imaging, the researchers can “characterize the structural and functional properties of engineered human brain tissues.”

“Using this funding, we can accelerate the research on Parkinson’s disease, and also disease-related dementia and disorders,” Paek told WBNG. “I mean, vascular dementia, or vascular blood vessel degenerations, which may come together with Alzheimer’s disease, and something like this.”

In addition, Paek’s research was been granted $414,191 by the National Institutes of Health in 2024.

Of the $10 million, the University at Buffalo received $5 million to spearhead the formation of the network. BU’s $500,000 will help “establish multiscale research infrastructure for microphysiological study of dementia arising from various causes.” SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University received $1.5 million to research neurological function and disease, and SUNY College of Optometry and SUNY Upstate Medical University also received $1.5 million to support “integrating biospecimens, induced pluripotent stem cells, and organoid models.”

“With the steadfast support of Governor Hochul and the State Legislature, SUNY’s campuses are at the vanguard of vital neuroscience research for the public good,” said the SUNY Board of Trustees. “Through the SUNY Brain Institute we are able to further develop the infrastructure researchers need to advance crucial initiatives that improve the health of people across the state and beyond.”