We’re calling it a “hack.” We mean taking a completely new approach that simply was not possible a decade ago. It is a revolutionary way of not just understanding brain disease, but finding better treatments and cures faster than any other approach. This “hack” is a shortcut across the translational divide… the typically 20+ year gap between research and new treatment that is so daunting scientists call it the “valley of death.” 

How? With computational modeling and big data analytics. Technological advances in genomics, brain scanning and exponential increases in computing storage and power now give us the ability to mine (anonymous) patient data and develop predictive models that will vastly improve the accuracy of diagnosis and treatments almost immediately, and, we believe, shorten the path to cures by a quantum leap.

ORION 1.0: THE FIRST MS PREDICTION MODELS!

Our Flagship program, Orion MS 1.0, has just completed and the results went far beyond our expectations! We assembled one of the world’s largest databases of Multiple Sclerosis patient data (>9000 patients) and then applied state-of-the-art high performance computers and algorithms to discover the biological pathways that influence disease progression and outcomes that could revolutionize our understanding of MS.  The first MS computational models!

Now, we need a larger study, Orion MS 2.0, with more types of data to prove our models work and can deliver robust simulations of Multiple Sclerosis that will predict the course of the disorder in individual patients and accelerate the discovery of new diagnostics, treatments and cures.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE?

A Cooperative Alliance.  Experts in diverse fields must work collaborate closely, and we have assembled a foundation alliance of “the best and the brightest” to accomplish this ambitious goal. The alliance is comprised of researchers, clinicians, neuroscientists, bioinformaticians, geneticists, computational modelers, patient advocacy groups and others across North America and Europe. Our main job is to bring even more of the best and the brightest together. The larger the alliance, the faster we will get to cures.

Funding. Lots of it. Millions. We are actively seeking sources for larger research grants and partnerships, but to do that costs money, thus this crowdfunding campaign. This campaign will help us continue to expand the alliance, forge new funding partnerships, write more grant proposals, and continue fundraising so that we can launch our second major study: Orion MS 2.0.

The discoveries this program makes will pave the way for us to look at other neurodegenerative brain diseases, like Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s, or ALS, as well as other mental conditions like schizophrenia, depression and PTSD. Accelerating our understanding of brain diseases as a whole could save millions of lives, lengthen millions of lives, and improve the quality of life for perhaps billions of people. 

It’s about research for patients, for people… not just for the sake of research or publishing a paper about yet another study of mice.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

We can only revolutionize the way science is done with your generous support!

Orion Bionetworks is a nonprofit organization -- we can only continue to build the alliance globally; sponsor workshops, webinars and conferences to educate and unite the research world; and collect new data to build new computational models of brain disease with public funding support.

Who is in the Orion Alliance? We have an incredible array of Alliance Partners, Advisory Council Members, Supporters, Staff and volunteers currently working to propel Orion forward. We are honored to be supported by many world-renowned experts in their fields. There are too many to name (please see our website for all our partners and full bios), a sample is below.

What’s in it for donors? Your commitment could lead to better diagnostics and treatments – and perhaps even preventions and cures – for you, a friend, or a loved one with a brain disorder. And we do have some limited edition trinkets and a number of very unique and valuable incentives over on the right. But, mainly, you’ll donate because you want to change the world and make it a better place to live… longer, healthier lives free of brain disease. 

OUR VISION IS A WORLD FREE OF BRAIN DISEASE.

Executive Team (bios on our website)

MAGALI HAAS, MD, PhD: Founder & CEO

KEITH O. ELLISTON, PhD: Consulting Scientific Director

ANDREAS JEROMIN, PhD: Consulting Biomarkers Director

Strategic Advisory Council (bios on our website)

SHUMEET BANERJI, PhD   MATTHIAS BOWMAN, MBA   TIMOTHY CHENEY   RAINER FUCHS, PhD   SEAN HILL, PhD   STEVE HYMAN, MD   ZAVEN KHACHATURIAN, PhD   THOMAS MILLER   KRISTIN ROSATI, JD   CURT SCHREINER   STEPHEN KENNEDY SMITH   NICK ZAKRASEK, MBA

© 2015 Orion Bionetworks. Orion Bionetworks is a program of the Marin Community Foundation, a 501(C)(3) nonprofit charitable organization.