The Brain Research Center is an interdisciplinary group of researchers and clinicians advancing brain research to better understand brain diseases in both animals and humans.
Mission
The Brain Research Center is composed of an interdisciplinary group of researchers and clinicians conducting state-of-the-art brain research. The Brain Research Center promotes this collaborative research network, supports undergraduate and graduate research and education, and, by leveraging this unified foundation of researchers, clinicians and associated infrastructure, strives to advance the field of brain research. The Brain Research Center seeks to promote and accelerate brain research, training and education, clinical proficiency, and environmental impact, which aligns with the strategic mission of Colorado State University.
Vision
The Brain Research Center is an interdisciplinary Center with the goal of conducting internationally recognized state-of-art research to advance the knowledge about brain aging, disease, and neurodegenerative processes. In assembling the Brain Research Center, we have selected members with diverse expertise, including neurodegeneration, molecular biology, mouse transgenesis, epidemiology, infectious disease, and clinical diseases, including aging, dementia, epilepsy, and cancer. The interdisciplinary approach is unique and essential to cultivate and strengthen brain research, both in veterinary medicine and in human medicine, using small and large animal models.
Clinical Trials
The Brain Research Center has a range of clinical trials.
View Clinical Trials
research project
CANINE BRAIN AGING AND AGE-RELATED DISEASES
We are dedicated to understanding brain aging by assessing biomarkers in dogs throughout their life. Our goal is to determine why some dogs develop dementia while others remain cognitively normal. By gaining a better understanding of this process, we hope to find therapeutic options for targeting age-related diseases of the brain in our beloved pets.
research project
CANINE SEIZURE STUDIES
Seizures are the most common brain disease in dogs. Due to the complex nature of seizures, advancements to seizure management can be slow. Our team is dedicated to pursuing new treatments and we offer several clinical trials for epileptic dogs. We want owners to be able to enjoy their bond with their dog without the battle of managing their seizures.
research project
CANINE BRAIN TUMOR STUDIES
A brain tumor diagnosis can be devastating to any pet parent. While advancements are continually being made, there are still several tumor types that are difficult to treat in both dogs and people. The BRC is committed to finding new cures for various brain tumor types and we offer several brain tumor studies to get closer to our goal.
Publications
Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in aged dogs with cognitive decline.
Alsulami A, Boland SW, McGrath S, MacLean EL, Latimer CS, Darvas M, Moreno JA. BMC Vet Res. 2025;21.617. Doi.org/10.1186/s12917-025-05027-w.
Functional assessments of short-term spatial memory in the Dog Aging Project identify strong associations with age that are not moderated by body mass.
Hargrave SH, Keyser AJ, Kristal E, Alexander GE, Block TA, Bray EE, Douglas LELC, Kennedy BS, Promislow DEL, Raichlen DA, Consortium DAP, MacLean EL. Geroscience. 2025; Sep 25. Doi.org/10.1007/s11357-025-01867-4.
Diffusion tensor imaging analysis of aged dogs with and without canine cognitive dysfunction.
Henry J, Ukai M, Antonakakis M, Zhou T, Moreno JA, Burzynska AZ, McGrath S*. BMC Vet Res. 2025; 21, 550. Doi.org/10.1186/s12917-025-04973-9.
Dog Aging Project Consortium. The companion dog as a translational model for Alzheimer’s disease: Development of a longitudinal research platform and post mortem protocols.
McGrath S*, Hull E, Dunbar MD, Prescott J, Keyser AJ, MacLean E, Darvas M, Latimer C, Moreno J, MacCoss MJ, Kauffman M, Litwin P, Castelhano M, Kaeberlein M, Keene CD, Alzheimer’s Dement. 2025;21:e70630. Doi.org/10.1002/alz.70630.
Targeting Neuroinflammation by Pharmacologic Downregulation of Inflammatory Pathways Is Neuroprotective in Protein Misfolding Disorders
Risen, S. J., Boland, S. W., Sharma, S., Weisman, G. M., Shirley, P. M., Latham, A. S., Hay, A. J. D., Gilberto, V. S., Hines, A. D., Brindley, S., Brown, J. M., McGrath, S., Chatterjee, A., Nagpal, P., & Moreno, J. A. (2024). ACS chemical neuroscience, 15(7), 1533–1547. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00846)
Brain Research Center Team
Translational Medicine Institute