Paul Allen
Paul Allen

Paul Allen loves sports. The Microsoft co-founder is also passionate about understanding the human brain.

So it makes sense why The Paul G. Allen Foundation announced today that it is putting up $2.37 million to fund brain injury research, combining two of Allen’s interests in a unique way.

The money will go to researchers from the University of Washington and the Allen Institute for Brain Science, who will investigate the short and long-term effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) for two years. They will analyze brain tissues and try to find out what happens after an injury to the head. After two years, the data will be available for free to researchers worldwide.

Human Brain Slabbing_Courtesy of the Allen Institute for Brain Science
Yikes — a human brain slabbing. Photo courtesy of the Allen Institute for Brain Science.

“The ‘perfect storm’ of soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with TBI and PTSD, and the increased recognition of concussion in youth and professional sports has inspired neuroscientists to better understand the short and long-term consequences of TBI,” the UW’s Dr. Ellenbogen said in a statement.

Over the past decade, Allen has committed $500 million toward understanding the brain through his decade-old non-profit scientific organization. The Institute, which now employs about 200 people — including several world-renowned scientists in brain research — is aiming to ultimately transform the treatment of related diseases and disorders including autism, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression. Allen has said that he’s been “awed” by the “enormous complexity” of the human brain.

Seattle_Seahawks
Paul Allen has owned the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks since 1997.

He’s also owned the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks since 1997. The short and long-term effects of concussions both on and off the football field are an extremely hot topic right now as the league implements ways to protect its players. Back in August, the NFL reached a $765 million settlement over concussion-related brain injuries with its 18,000 retired players.

Earlier this year, the NFL gave $100,000 to Washington State University — Allen’s alma mater — as part of an initiative to curb injuries and support sports-related research. The Allen Foundation told us that several NFL executives plan to visit the Allen Institute in the coming weeks.

Of course, the problem with concussions expand much further than just sports. In fact, The World Health Organization predicts that TBI will be the third greatest cause of disease and injury worldwide by 2020.

Previously on GeekWire: Going beyond Siri and Watson: Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen taps Oren Etzioni to lead new Artificial Intelligence Institute

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