On behalf of the faculty, staff and students of the USF Health Neuroscience Institute, it gives us great pleasure to welcome you to the Fall 2021 edition of our newsletter. Over the past several months, we have maintained and even accelerated progress on several fronts.

Two of our most exciting advancements include new clinical trials that are available to our patient community. Dr. Jerri Edwards received an incredibly impressive $44.4 award from the National Institutes of Health to study the effects of computerized brain training exercises on mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Within the Department of Neurosurgery, Dr. Max Mokin leads the first Florida trial that tests whether a minimally invasive procedure can safely and effectively treat common types of brain bleeds.

We are also very appreciative to one of our grateful patients, Mr. Bruce Mackey, who included us in his estate planning. Mr. Mackey’s generosity exceeds the philanthropic scope of giving. He is also one of the most active volunteers we have ever encountered logging hundreds of hours in community service. Mr. Mackey’s gift will go directly towards caregiver education programs within the Byrd Alzheimer’s Center.

While we celebrate these fantastic achievements for the Neuroscience Institute, we must also pause to pay respects to Dr. Eric Pfeiffer, who passed away this summer. Dr. Pfeiffer was one of our founding faculty members and a pioneer in the field of Alzheimer’s research. Under Dr. Pfeiffer’s leadership, Alzheimer’s became a focal point of research and service within the Tampa community. In part, his model of combining academics and patient care helped inspire what we today call the “NSI”. Please read the memorial linked in the newsletter to learn more about his life and work.

Wishing you and your families great brain health,

Harry van Loveren, MD   Clifton Gooch, MD

Directors of the USF Health Neuroscience Institute