Solving wicked problems

John Foxe
Director, the Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience
Kilian J. and Caroline F. Schmitt Chair in Neuroscience

Autism. Parkinson’s disease. Addiction. Fifteen percent of the world’s population suffers from a major neurological disorder. And if you’re not affected personally, you’re feeling the economic impact. Considering treatment, lost income, social supports, and more, the global cost of mental illness is expected to reach $6 trillion by 2030, more than diabetes, respiratory disorders, and cancer combined.* Confronting these truly wicked problems demands a bold approach.

At the Ernest J. Del Monte Neuromedicine Institute, John Foxe is taking that approach. He is building teams of internationally-regarded neuroscientists to help “unravel the deep mysteries of the brain” and ultimately ease the suffering of millions.

The scope of Foxe’s work is broad. He is leading the Medical Center’s participation in a landmark study created by the National Institutes of Health to track the biological and behavioral development of more than 10,000 children from adolescence through early adulthood. Twenty other research sites across the country are also participating in this effort to better understand how children’s experiences—such as screen time, sleep patterns, participation in sports or music, and more—impact brain maturation, academic achievement, social development, behavior, and overall health.

*Source: World Economic Forum

—Margaret Bogumil and Michelle Hildreth, October 2017