Viral Neuro
Exploration

Advancing research at the intersection of viruses and brain health.

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent emergence of Long COVID have raised awareness about how a virus may impact brain health—for weeks, months, and potentially years. Beyond this pandemic, VINEx will address the broader issue of how viruses and other infectious agents may directly or indirectly affect the central nervous system (CNS), including as potential contributors to the development and progression of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental diseases, and psychiatric illnesses.

The brain is not one self-contained system; it is part of the human system and interacts with an external environment. The intersection of brain health and the physical environment has not been well studied, but we know that environmental impacts on brain health will become more pronounced with the potential for more infectious outbreaks – including future pandemics – as the climate warms, human built-environments expand, and animal-human interactions expand.

VINEx will bring together fields and disciplines (such as neurosciences, neurology, immunology and virology) that may not have previously worked together to ideate, formulate and execute an agenda to progress research and care, and be better prepared for the next pandemic.