Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a leading cause of morbimortality in the United States (US) and developed countries. In recent years, these injuries have received considerable attention as a public health concern due it’s heightened cost of care and increased awareness around sport- and military-related TBIs. While multiple consensus and guidelines for the clinical diagnosis and management of TBIs and related conditions exist, information is scant on the pathophysiological processes occurring at the cellular, molecular, and tissular levels. This paucity of evidence limits our ability to characterize disease phenotypes and, in turn, develop patient-centric, evidence-based prevention, diagnostic, and management strategies. Brains banks offer an excellent opportunity to systematically explore the histopathological characteristics of TBIs and improve our understanding of the disease mechanisms; nonetheless, they are in high demand and have low supply in the US, particularly in the southern region. Tulane University is well-positioned to generate multidimensional evidence to advance the knowledge of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying TBIs. Our institution currently houses multiple programs that provide direct medical care to individuals within populations at risk, including athletes (at all levels of play), former athletes, Veterans of the Armed Forces, First Responders, and elderly adults. In addition, we recently established the Tulane University Brain Bank, which is actively receiving organ donations. The funding requested via this application will significantly contribute to furnishing the Tulane University Brain Bank histopathology laboratory with the required equipment to conduct advanced histopathological analyses and create a tissue repository. These resources will allow for effective research collaborations with partners around the globe. Further, the generated evidence will expedite advancements in multiple facets of TBI prev
ention, diagnosis, and care, directly benefiting all segments of the population exposed to this type of injury.