Northwestern University is putting serious money behind the question of how long our brains can stay sharp. The school announced Monday that it has launched the Simpson Querrey Brain Health Institute after nearly $25 million in philanthropic support from trustee Kimberly K. Querrey. The new center, known as SQ‑Brain, is set to pull together physicians, engineers and scientists to measure, monitor and modify brain health across the lifespan, with a focus on neurovascular biology and precision medicine. Northwestern named vascular neurologist Farzaneh A. Sorond as the institute's founding director and said the effort is designed to move lab discoveries into clinical tests and prevention strategies.
In a news release, the university described SQ‑Brain as “envision[ing] a future where our brains last as long as our bodies” and credited Querrey's “nearly $25 million” in giving as the seed funding that makes the launch possible, according to Northwestern University. As reported by Crain's Chicago Business, the institute will lean hard into translational programs and clinical testing pathways intended to move promising ideas from bench to bedside faster. Northwestern said SQ‑Brain will also build on existing Simpson Querrey research centers that already probe neurovascular and neurogenetic science.
“Preserving brain health across the lifespan may be one of the defining health priorities of the 21st century,” Sorond said in the announcement, which also notes that SQ‑Brain will examine the brain‑health impact of rapidly expanding GLP‑1 use, per Northwestern University. A vascular neurologist, Sorond runs a lab that focuses on neurovascular biology and markers that can predict cognitive decline. The institute's early agenda, officials say, will deliberately pair laboratory discovery with clinical testing in an effort to move prevention and care strategies into practice sooner rather than later.
Why the timing matters
The 2024 Lancet Commission estimated that about 45% of dementia risk is tied to 14 potentially modifiable factors, a statistic SQ‑Brain's founders cite when arguing that prevention is not just aspirational but achievable, according to The Lancet. Industry analyses have warned that the economic costs of brain disorders are climbing fast; one such overview echoes World Health Organization projections that brain‑related conditions could account for half of the global economic burden of disability by 2030, per Roche. Those numbers underpin SQ‑Brain's stated push to connect neurovascular science, precision medicine and engineering in pursuit of measurable gains in population brain health.
Where does this fit at Northwestern
Querrey's latest support adds to years of giving that have helped build out biomedical hubs across Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine and McCormick School of Engineering. As Forbes reported, Querrey and the late Louis Simpson have directed major gifts to Northwestern in recent years, and SQ‑Brain joins a network that already includes Simpson Querrey centers for neurovascular sciences, bioelectronics and epigenetics. Crain's Chicago Business also detailed the university's plans to channel projects toward clinical testing and community‑embedded prevention efforts.
University officials say SQ‑Brain will back seed projects and partner with clinical teams to develop monitoring tools, biomarkers and trial pathways aimed at earlier detection and prevention. For Chicago patients and clinicians, the institute represents a clear bet on catching vascular risks and cognitive decline early instead of relying mainly on late‑stage treatment. Northwestern says more details about programs, staffing and community partnerships will roll out over the coming months.
