In an inspiring convergence of innovation and philanthropy, the Ramona Jones Friends of BrainHealth Luncheon was held on September 29, 2025, marking a milestone in support for emerging brain health research. The event, staged at the storied Dallas Country Club, stood as a vital platform for accelerating scientific inquiry into neural integrity, cognitive resilience, and neurodegenerative disorders, simultaneously celebrating the 97th birthday of foundational board member Ramona Jones. This luncheon exemplifies the potent interplay between private funding and emergent scientific exploration within the realm of brain health, underscoring how strategic philanthropic initiatives can fuel transformative research trajectories.
The centerpiece of this annual contest involved promising early-career scientists proposing pioneering pilot studies aimed at deconstructing the complex biological and cognitive mechanisms underlying brain health across the lifespan. Finalists presented their research concepts in a dynamic, Shark Tank-style competition, where real-time audience voting determined grant recipients from a pool of high-caliber projects. This innovative format fosters a collaborative atmosphere, blending scientific rigor with interactive community engagement, thereby enhancing public investment in neuroscience research.
A key highlight of the 2025 awards was the Jennifer and Peter Roberts Visionary New Scientist Award, bestowed upon Anna Thompson. Her project focuses on elucidating the differential impacts of neurological cellular integrity on age-related brain changes, leveraging advanced neuroimaging and molecular biomarkers to map trajectories of neuronal health degradation. Thompson’s approach integrates functional and structural imaging modalities with cellular biochemistry to unravel the heterogeneity of aging processes in distinct neural substrates, potentially redefining early diagnostic criteria for cognitive decline.
Equally compelling was the Cindy and Charlie Feld Visionary New Scientist Award, granted to doctoral candidate Audrina Ebrahimi. Ebrahimi’s research converges on identifying biomarkers indicative of neurovascular health and their predictive power regarding cognitive functioning. By deploying longitudinal neuroimaging coupled with blood-based biomarker assays, her study aims to elucidate vascular contributions to dementia and other neurodegenerative conditions. This work signals a critical advancement toward multidisciplinary biomarker approaches, enhancing precision medicine strategies in neurology.
Maximilian Ciesla received the Maisie Heiken Visionary New Scientist Award for his investigation into adolescent brain development and its role in updating self-esteem based on social feedback. Situated within developmental social-affective neuroscience, his study employs cutting-edge functional MRI techniques to dissect neural circuitry associated with social cognition and emotional regulation during a critical period of plasticity. Through this lens, Ciesla’s work promises to inform early intervention protocols targeting mental health problems with roots in adolescent neurodevelopmental trajectories.
The Lyda Hill Philanthropies Visionary New Scientist Award honored Micaela Andreo for her project addressing nutrient delivery pathways in the brain — a hitherto underexplored axis in Alzheimer’s therapy. With a focus on neurovascular coupling and the blood-brain barrier, Andreo’s research leverages advanced neuropsychometric assessments combined with molecular analyses to identify therapeutic targets that could mitigate nutrient transport deficiencies in neurodegeneration. Having previously garnered the audience-choice award at the 2024 luncheon, Andreo’s continued exploration marks a significant contribution to translational Alzheimer’s research.
The contest also featured two additional finalists with promising proposals, underscoring the broad scientific scope of the event. Taesun Kim proposed an innovative study on adolescent self-compassion, investigating its neural and emotional correlates within a home-based intervention framework. This research aims to delineate the neurobiological underpinnings of self-compassion as a protective factor against mood disorders, employing neuroimaging and psychometric tools to validate intervention efficacy. Similarly, the team of Ashley Campos and Stephanie Rodriguez put forward a study titled “A Guiding Light to Mindfulness,” examining the role of mindfulness in mediating the transition from depression to resilience. Their multidisciplinary approach integrates theoretical frameworks from clinical psychology with neurophysiological measurements to unveil mechanisms through which mindfulness catalyzes neurocognitive adaptation.
The 2025 luncheon was particularly poignant as it highlighted the sustained generosity of Ramona Jones and her family, marking their third consecutive year of sponsorship. The celebration intertwined philanthropic commitment with a tribute to the power of lifestyle factors in promoting longevity and brain health. As Sandi Chapman, PhD, the Founder and Chief Director of BrainHealth, poignantly remarked, Jones embodies the “poster girl” for brain health, illustrating the profound effects of a brain-healthy lifestyle on life span and quality of cognitive function.
Moderating the event was Dan Krawczyk, PhD, Deputy Director of Research at BrainHealth, who facilitated panel discussions that bridged scientific discourse with public understanding. The event also attracted high-profile members of UT Dallas’s administration, including Adam J. Woods, PhD, Dean of the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, and several Vice Presidents, signifying institutional commitment to advancing brain health research and innovation.
The Center for BrainHealth at UT Dallas, the event’s host institution, is a translational research powerhouse devoted to enhancing, preserving, and restoring cognitive function through cutting-edge neurobiological research and innovative therapeutics. Employing advanced functional and structural neuroimaging techniques, the Center elucidates the intricate neurobiology of cognition and emotion under both health and disease conditions. The translation of findings into practical brain performance strategies empowers individuals across the lifespan to harness cognitive potential and resilience.
Central to the Center’s approach is the BrainHealth Index, a proprietary metric uniquely capable of quantifying an individual’s holistic brain health trajectory. This innovative tool integrates multi-dimensional data to chart cognitive trends objectively and longitudinally, allowing researchers and clinicians to detect declines or improvements with precision. Complementing this is the Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Tactics (SMART™) program, a scientifically validated methodology designed to optimize cognitive strategies. Over three decades of rigorous research underpin this strategy-based training, which empowers participants to enhance memory, reasoning, and overall executive function.
The Ramona Jones Friends of BrainHealth Luncheon serves as a microcosm of the innovative frontier in brain science, demonstrating how collaborative investments in early career scientists can catalyze breakthroughs with far-reaching implications. From understanding the cellular substrates of aging and neurovascular health to leveraging cognitive and emotional interventions in adolescence and neurodegenerative diseases, the awarded studies embody a multi-faceted attack on some of neuroscience’s most pressing challenges. Through such community-engaged platforms, the future of brain health research continues to unfold with promise and vigor.
Subject of Research: Advances in brain health research focusing on neurobiology, cognitive aging, neurovascular biomarkers, adolescent brain development, Alzheimer’s disease, mindfulness, and emotional regulation interventions.
Article Title: Ramona Jones Friends of BrainHealth Luncheon Catalyzes Next-Generation Brain Science Innovation
News Publication Date: September 29, 2025
Web References:
- Center for BrainHealth: https://centerforbrainhealth.org/
- BrainHealth Index: https://centerforbrainhealth.org/science/brainhealth-index
- SMART™ Program: https://centerforbrainhealth.org/training/smart
Image Credits: Center for BrainHealth
