UC Irvine Giving Day 2025

Approximately 100 million individuals in the U.S. are affected by one of about 1,000 different neurological disorders. This includes more than seven million people affected by neurodegenerative diseases in the United States such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and ALS. Additionally, neurological disorders such as stroke and traumatic brain injury, migraine and epilepsy are among the most burdensome in the U.S. population. As a result, there is an increasing appreciation of how a person’s genetic makeup can influence their vulnerability and response to treatments. Neurological disorders not only affect a person’s life, and that of those surrounding them, but also place strain on the workforce, healthcare systems and the economy. This is a problem that is not going to go away without substantial effort and investment. Indeed, it is increasing, and as our population ages, current estimates predict that more than 20 million Americans will suffer from a neurodegenerative disease by 2050.

Nearly every resident of Orange County will be personally impacted by neurological disease – either diagnosed themselves, caring for an affected family member or knowing the plight of an extended family member or a suffering close friend. Despite the immense scope of this problem, and exciting recent advances in translational research and technology, enormous needs remain. For example, we still have little to offer in the way of treatments that change the course of diseases such as Alzheimer’s dementia, highlighting the dire need for more research in this field. 

At UC Irvine, we are conducting leading-edge basic research that aims to delineate mechanisms of neurological diseases, identify robust and reliable biomarker tests that will more precisely diagnose, and will permit us to accurately predict and assess responses to existing and new treatments. With the fast pace of developments in neuroscience, our faculty are here to “meet the moment.” Our research teams are working hard to identify new targets for disease prevention, new interventions to slow down or reverse a person’s decline and to improve delivery of novel therapeutics including medication, gene therapy and stem cell-based treatments to the brain, spinal cord and muscles. We are also working hard to develop completely new brain-machine interfaces that might help someone after a stroke or traumatic brain injury.

One stubborn barrier that limits accurate diagnosis and treatment continues to be the poorly understood individual variations in how a “single” disorder affects different individuals. For example, not all people with Parkinson’s disease have the same response to standard medications, and some may progress more quickly to needing surgery. To meet this critical need, UCI Health and the Department of Neurology have now established one of the first Precision Neurology Programs in the country, under the leadership of Mark Mapstone, PhD, professor and vice chair for research. The focus of precision health is to base care on individual characteristics and tests that go over and above the standard diagnosis, supported by sophisticated neuroinformatics – meaning we will be able to get the right treatment to the right person at the right time.

The ultimate goal of our research in neurology at UC Irvine is to develop new therapies and advance these therapies to first in-human clinical trials, bringing powerful new therapies to patients who need them most.

On this Giving Day, we ask that you please consider making a gift in support of the Precision Neurology Program or to support our other many clinical, research and training programs. The generosity of forward-thinking philanthropists who share our commitment to the mission remains one of the most powerful ways to propel and advance our research in service of humanity and the common good. Your support is critical. We can’t do this work without you. Please join us today.