Catalyzing
Action
The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent emergence of Long COVID raised awareness about how a virus may impact brain health—for weeks, months, and potentially years. VINEx initially focused on how SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses and infectious agents may directly or indirectly affect the central nervous system (CNS), including as potential contributors to the development and progression of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases, and psychiatric illnesses.
VINEx has since broadened our focus to the intersection of brain health and the physical environment. This is an area that has not been well studied because it falls between two well established silos. But the brain is not one self-contained system; it is part of the human system and interacts with an external environment. We know that environmental impacts on brain health will become more pronounced with the potential for more infectious outbreaks – including future pandemics – as the climate warms, human built-environments expand, and animal-human interactions expand.
VINEx brings together different fields and disciplines that may not have previously worked together to ideate, formulate and execute an agenda to accelerate research, policy and action. We are proud to be founding members of BECAN (formerly "NeuroClimate Working Group") – Brain, Environment and Climate Action Network, led by Dr. Burcin Ikiz. BECAN is a global interdisciplinary alliance of scientists, clinicians, policy experts, and climate advocates focused on the crucial intersection of climate change and brain health.
VINEx ACTION TANK MODEL
VINEx is an action tank which seeks to raise and advance our understanding of how infectious agents may impact brain health, and catalyze diverse communities to develop and act on proposed solutions. Providing thought, policy and communications leadership are generally in the scope of think tanks. An action tank goes farther in leading and effecting meaningful change, including by rallying governments and other funders to invest in areas that have previously been underfunded because they are not on the radar.
The sequence (strategic and thought leadership, communications leadership, and funding leadership) is important. Advancing research is not just about more money; it is about a smarter way to do research that is more efficient, effective and outcome focused.
Strategic and thought leadership
to be an issue, people and organization catalyst to advance research areas that have been under the radar, have complexity, and require imagination to “connect the dots,” write the narrative, and determine the most impactful path forward.
Communications leadership
to bring issues and proposed solutions into the public space and conversation and/or before decision makers to inform policy, practice and funding.
Funding leadership
to match capital and opportunity, and secure resources and partners to execute action plans.