Brain Matters
Blog

In 2025, the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation awarded Distinguished Investigator Grants valued at $1 million to 10 senior-level scientists who are conducting groundbreaking research in neurobiological and behavioral science.

Aging is a natural part of life, yet we live in a world that often glorifies youth. From social media to advertising, the focus on looking and feeling young can make aging feel like a challenge rather than a privilege. However, growing older doesn’t have to mean fading into the background.

For millions of Americans, life feels like a delicate balancing act—caring for children while simultaneously tending to aging parents.

Stepping into the shoes of the late Dr. Herbert Pardes—founding president of BBRF’s Scientific Council—is a daunting prospect, Dr. Ford acknowledges, but it’s a responsibility she is eager to fulfill.

Dr. Scott Russo and colleagues are demonstrating how stress can cause pro-inflammatory immune cells that are manufactured outside the brain—in the body’s “periphery”—to invade the brain and adversely impact behavior