Governor Hochul Announces Launch of SUNY Brain Institute With $10 Million Investment to Fuel SUNY Excellence in Life-saving Research

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a $10 million investment to launch the SUNY Brain Institute; a multi-campus initiative focused on expanding SUNY's groundbreaking neuroscience research. The SUNY Brain Institute will fund shared equipment and research infrastructure at SUNY institutions with significant capacity in this vital area, including SUNY's four University Centers, as well as the State University of New York Upstate Medical University, State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University, and other research-intensive campuses.

"SUNY campuses are leading the way on groundbreaking research that saves lives and improves the quality of life for millions of New Yorkers and people around the planet,"

Governor Hochul said. "The SUNY Brain Institute will leverage all of the strengths of our statewide public higher education system by increasing our researchers' capacity for new discoveries and life-saving treatments. This is a smart, strategic investment in neuroscience research that will improve lives."

The $10 million investment is made possible by the capital support SUNY received from the 2025-26 enacted state budget. The new SUNY Brain Institute will foster collaborative neuroscience research between SUNY's over 600 active neuroscience faculty researchers to investigate topics such as brain aging, stroke, mental health, neurodegenerative disorders, and neurotechnology.

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, "Innovative neuroscience research is happening on SUNY campuses throughout the state, and thanks to the steadfast support of Governor Hochul, SUNY and New York will continue to be at the forefront of that research in part through the SUNY Brain Institute. Thank you to Governor Hochul and the State Legislature for their unwavering commitment to funding research at SUNY, and their dedication to academic excellence."

The State University of New York Board of Trustees said, "Thanks to Governor Hochul and her comprehensive support for SUNY's research initiatives, we will be able to continue and grow investments in our efforts to improve and save lives. The launch of the SUNY Brain Institute will help make SUNY a leader in neuroscience research, and the important research done there will have a significant effect on the future health and well-being of humanity."

The funds will be allocated following the solicitation of proposals from eligible SUNY campuses for shared equipment and research infrastructure. Existing neuroscience research across SUNY includes projects on:

• The progression of early Alzheimer's disease, and the effects of circadian rhythms on learning and memory at the State University of New York at Albany.
• A study at the State University of New York at Binghamton exploring how electrical engineering principles can be used to better understand neurological diseases such as Parkinson's Disease and Lewy body dementia.
• Work on the development of an Alzheimer's vaccine at the State University of New York at Buffalo that uses immunotherapy to target key sites of the disease's two main proteins to train the immune system to recognize and attack the proteins more broadly.
• A study at the State University of New York at Stony Brook published in Nature Communications Medicine showcasing technologies that could be used to treat traumatic brain injuries.
• State University of New York Upstate Medical research on vision restoration and identifying cures for the conditions that cause vision degradation and loss.
• A study at the State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University which demonstrates how stress resilience skills in adolescence can improve mental health in adulthood.

State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said, "I am delighted to see New York investing in the next generation of discovery through the SUNY Brain Institute. This initiative brings together the best of SUNY's research strength-from advancing Alzheimer's treatments and restoring vision to understanding stress resilience and mental health. With over 600 neuroscience researchers across the system, SUNY is uniquely positioned to translate scientific innovation into real-world healing. This investment reaffirms that when we support our public universities, we strengthen both the promise of science and the health of our communities."

About The State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY's 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country's oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit https://www.suny.edu.

Contact the Governor's Press Office