Expansion of Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul reinforces PUCRS’ role in society
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To provide assistance to life, through research, assistance and innovation. This is the mission of the Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul – (BraIns), a philanthropic entity that brings together researchers to develop multidisciplinary studies and find solutions in the area of neuroscience. Located at PUCRS’ Health Campus, the newly expanded and renovated BraIns will open its doors in early November to reinforce and expand the Institute’s actions for the benefit of society.
Dr. Jaderson da Costa, Senior Vice President of PUCRS and Director of BraIns claims that we are living moments of awakening and hope. “We open up for the things that we learn, for the new possibilities for the future and for the hope for new discoveries and possible cures. We want to share our scholarship with society. BraIns takes pride in meeting the expectations of its community and its commitment to develop scholarship and make discoveries that ease the pain of patients”, da Costa says.
Among the most recent studies that have been developed at the Institute is the research on Stress, trauma and risk perception during the pandemic, which addresses the traumatic impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on the Brazilian population. Another investigation, headed by the Vice Director of the Brain Institute and professor at the PUCRS’ School of Medicine, Dr. Magda Lahorgue Nunes, is looking at the effects of home confinement on the quality of sleep of adults and their children. These studies are embraced by the multidisciplinary taskforce of PUCRS, which relies on the support of BraIns in the search for solutions for different issues associated with Covid-19.
At the Brain Institute of Rio Grande do Sul, several investigations, such as the one on Superagers, have been developed. The aforementioned project studied the brains of elderly people aged 80+ to find out why some people live longer without having any neurological impairment. In addition to that, there is a study on Zika Vírus, who looked at children with microcephaly whose mothers were infected with Zika virus during pregnancy. What all investigations have in common is that they are primarily intended to benefit of the population.
PUCRS undergraduate research, Master’s and PhD students as well as postdoctoral fellows can also develop their research projects in the Brain Institute’s laboratories dedicated to preclinical and clinical research.
The newly expanded BraIns is equipped with modern equipment as improvements have been made to the Center for Clinical Research and in the Molecular Imaging Center. Now the Institute’s exam capacity will be twice as big.
The reception has been expanded, and a restaurant as well as a modern auditorium for the scientific, academic and external communities have been built. The capacity of production of the Center for Production of Radiopharmaceuticals has been expanded and now the entire production will occur at BraIns. The process includes basic research, discovery of new biomarkers, and their application in patients.
On Nov 9, the date that PUCRS celebrates its 72th anniversary, the new facility will be open with the presence of the academic community and authorities
