{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-announces-529m-utsa-brain-health-research", "Castro Announces $5.29M for UTSA Brain Health Research", "2016-12-01", "2016", "2016-12", "Democrat", "House", "TX", "Joaqu\u00edn Castro", "C001091", "castro.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) announced an eight-year, federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services expected to total $5,292,000.00 for The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). UTSA will receive the grant through the National Institutes of Health\u2019s (NIH) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which aims to reduce the burden of neurological disease by supporting and conducting neuroscience research. The funding will go towards UTSA\u2019s research studying the brain region involved in voluntary motor behavior, the basal ganglia.  \n\t\u00a0\u00a0  \n\t\u201cWith this substantial funding, UTSA will continue its leadership in brain health research and help the scientific community better understand, diagnose, treat, and prevent neurological disorders like Parkinson\u2019s and Huntington\u2019s diseases. This work will help reduce folks\u2019 suffering and save lives,\u201d said Rep. Castro. \u201cThanks in large part to UTSA\u2019s impressive and expansive research programs, San Antonio is increasingly known as a city where science thrives. Our nation must never lose sight of the value of research, discovery, and knowledge. I\u2019m proud that UTSA and the broader San Antonio community are leaders in learning, particularly in the field of brain health.\u201d  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tDr. Charles Wilson is the primary investigator whose work this funding will support. Dr. Wilson\u2019s research will examine local cell signaling in the basal ganglia to further develop a model of basal ganglia function. The goal of this modeling is to help improve current understanding of basal ganglia disorders and to assist in the development of potentially effective treatments. \u00a0\u00a0  \n\t\u00a0  \n\t\u201cThis prestigious award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is an immeasurable investment in brain health, which is a key research area not only for UTSA but also for the entire UT System. Dr. Wilson's research focus on the circuitry and function of neurons of the basal ganglia, which controls movement, will advance our understanding of degenerative disorders such Parkinson\u2019s disease. As a member of the UTSA Neurosciences Institute, Dr. Wilson is well deserving of this highly competitive NIH grant, and his Top-Tier research aligns with our Tier One goals,\" said Bernard Arulanandam, UTSA interim vice president for research.  \n\t\u00a0  \n\tThe National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke is awarding this funding to UTSA through the Outstanding Investigator Award program. The program provides longer-term support to researchers whose records of achievement indicate their ability to make important contributions in the field of neuroscience. More stable grant funding gives recipients greater flexibility and freedom to conduct potentially groundbreaking research.\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/castro-announces-529m-utsa-brain-health-research"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.0459708757698536, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}