GE, NFL & Leading Healthcare Experts Team up to Accelerate Concussion Research, Diagnosis & Treatment

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

(GE) GE and the NFL today announced the Head Health Initiative, a four-year, $60 million collaboration to speed diagnosis and improve treatment for mild traumatic brain injury. The goal of the research and innovation program, guided by healthcare experts, is to improve the safety of athletes, members of the military and society overall.

The initiative includes a four-year, $40 million research and development program to evaluate and develop next generation imaging technologies to improve diagnosis that would allow for targeting treatment therapy for patients with mild traumatic brain injury. In addition the NFL, GE and Under Armour launched a two-year open innovation challenge to invest up to $20 million in research and technology to better understand, diagnose and protect against mild traumatic brain injury.

GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt said, GE is a leader in developing sophisticated diagnostic imaging technology, but for all the advances in science our knowledge of the brain is far behind that of nearly every other organ in the body. With this initiative, we will advance our research and apply our learning to sports-related concussions, brain injuries suffered by members of the military and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons. Advancing brain science will help families everywhere.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said, Jeff and I have had many conversations over the years about business and the game we both love football. The future of our great game is bright. The NFL has made tremendous progress in making the game safer and more exciting. But we know we have more work to do. Our collaboration with GE and Under Armour and the launch of the innovation challenges puts us on an accelerated path to progress with experienced scientists, academics and entrepreneurs dedicated to developing game-changing technologies that will benefit athletes, the military and all members of society.

Research to Map Brain Imaging Biomarkers

The research will take a whole brain approach to determine the key Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) biomarkers for potential diagnosis, outcome prediction, and therapy management for patients with mild traumatic brain injury. The research study will be guided by an advisory board consisting of a cross-disciplinary team of medical professionals from various institutions. Among those participating:

1. Dr. Thomas McAllister is the Millennium Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, Director of the Section of Neuropsychiatry and Vice Chair for Neuroscience Research for the Department of Psychiatry at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. He has recently been named chair of the Department of Psychiatry and the Albert Eugene Sterne Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Indiana University School of Medicine. He will begin his duties in the summer of 2013.

2. Dr. Richard Ellenbogen is Chief of the Division of Neurosurgery and Fellowship Director of Neurological Surgery at Seattle Childrens Hospital. He is the co-chair of the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee.

3. Dr. Russell Lonser is the Chair of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center Department of Neurological Surgery, head of the NFLs Research Subcommittee and a member of the NFLs Head, Neck and Spine Medical Committee.

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GE, NFL & Leading Healthcare Experts Team up to Accelerate Concussion Research, Diagnosis & Treatment