The Hattie. B. Munroe Foundation has donated $3.5 million to support
four components of the Munroe-Meyer Institute’s research programs, said
Bruce Buehler, Ph.D., director of the Munroe-Meyer Institute. The MMI Board
of Directors and HBM Foundation approved the gift in February. The funds
became available May 1.
The four components of the gift are:
· A $1 million endowed chair for the director of the Munroe-Meyer
Institute.
· A $1 million endowed chair for the director of the Center
for Human Molecular Genetics.
· A $1 million grant to develop a nationally recognized autism
research program.
· A $500,000 grant for the Gait Laboratory.
The MMI director is integral to the development of all the institutes
programs. The new endowment will expand future recruitment possibilities
and the maintenance of a nationally and internationally recognized leader
for the many MMI endeavors.
The endowed chair for the Center for Human Molecular Genetics further
elevates the position as a nationally recognized honor and is an added
recruiting attraction. The center is dedicated to the study of genetic
causes of developmental problems in children. Research focuses on finding
the cause for developmental disabilities and birth defects and the genetic
contributions to these conditions. In 1999, the center staff held 4,900
consults with clinicians throughout the state of Nebraska and processed
more than 10,000 prenatal screenings. Clinician inquiries to the center
are on a steady increase. Today, research indicates that twice as many
life years are lost from genetic disorders than from heart disease.
Nebraska has a significant under-met need for services and treatment
for individuals with autism. MMI has nine full-time psychologists with
expertise in areas of behavioral intervention, but does not have an expert
in the area of autism. The grant for autism research will support recruiting
a nationally recognized leader in autism to MMI.
The newly recruited autism specialist will help MMI develop a state-wide
program of services and treatment, with MMI acting as a referral and triage
center in cooperation with state agencies and schools.
Autism, a severe, lifelong neurological disorder which usually strikes
in the first two years of life, can cause severe impairment in language,
cognition and communication. Though many children with autism make great
strides through early intervention, even today, most people with autism
will never marry, have a job or live independently. Half of all autistic
children will never learn to speak.
Today, autism is a national crisis affecting more than 400,000 families
and costing the nation more than $13 billion a year. Autism is more common
than Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis or cystic fibrosis, but autism research
receives less than 5 percent of the funding of these other diseases.
The Gait Laboratory is an outstanding facility for motion analysis,
which is crucial to accurate design of supportive appliances and braces
for persons with physical disabilities. The number of patient referrals
is increasing and UNMCs department of orthopedics has been critical in
providing support for the Gait Laboratorys programs.
But the Gait Laboratory doesnt generate large amounts of revenue for
the medical director, and continually requires innovative computer programs,
as well as independently developed software to maintain its high standards
of analysis. The HBM Foundations grant will enable the Gait Laboratory
to develop self-sufficient programs in the next five years. According to
projections, future enhancements should enable the Gait Laboratory to serve
as many as 200 more patients per year.