Uplifting Athletes and STXBP1 Foundation Fund $20,000 Grant to Dr. Noah Guiberson at Weill Cornell Medicine
Dr. Noah Guiberson is among 10 rare disease researchers to be awarded a grant at Uplifting Athletes’ Young Investigator Draft on Feb. 3 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Uplifting Athletes, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the rare disease community, has announced that Dr. Guiberson of Weill Cornell Medicine will receive a $20,000 research grant as a member of Uplifting Athletes’ 2024 Young Investigator Draft Class. The grant is co-funded by Uplifting Athletes and the STXBP1 Foundation
Dr. Guiberson, a neuroscientist, proposed characterizing a novel STXBP1 missense mutant mouse model to understand diverse mechanisms of STXBP1-related disorders. His past research identified potential therapeutics and led to the first clinical trial for STXBP1. The new project explores a dominant negative mechanism for STXBP1 missense mutations, offering insights into genotype-phenotype correlations for precision therapies. Dr. Guiberson's scientific expertise, passion for rare neurological disorders, and engaging communication style, seen in his podcast "Facts Machine," make him a perfect choice for Young Investigator.
Dr. Guiberson is among a group of 10 researchers who will each receive an unrestricted grant for medical research at Uplifting Athletes’ Young Investigator Draft February 3, 2024 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Uplifting Athletes is a nonprofit organization that connects student-athletes across the country as well as professional athlete ambassadors with their local rare disease community to raise awareness and funds, and bring inspiration and hope to those impacted by rare diseases, which is approximately one in 10 Americans.
The Young Investigator Draft is inspired by the NFL Draft, but shifts the focus from the selection of potential talent on the football field to recognizing the next generation of promising young medical researchers in the rare disease space. It is one of several signature initiatives created by Uplifting Athletes to raise awareness and research funding for rare diseases, which affect approximately 30 million individuals in the United States.
This year’s Young Investigator Draft marks a significant milestone as Uplifting Athletes will cross over the 1 million dollar threshold of total grants awarded throughout the history of the program. “The members of our 2024 Young Investigator Draft Class are adding tremendous potential to the rare disease community,” said Rob Long, Executive Director of Uplifting Athletes. “We are thrilled to celebrate these scientists with the same spirit and fanfare that elite athletes receive and the college and pro athletes who join us every year in this effort love sharing the stage with these deserving researchers who represent so much promise for the future.”
Grant submissions for the Young Investigator Draft are evaluated by an expert panel of scientific advisors prior to the selection of each year’s Draft Class. Every researcher is nominated by a patient advocacy organization (PAO) recognized by Uplifting Athletes as a priority partner, with grants equally co-funded by Uplifting Athletes and the nominating PAO. The PAO that nominated Dr. Guiberson is the STXBP1 Foundation.
The audience at the 2024 Young Investigator Draft will include student-athlete leaders from Uplifting Athletes’ collegiate chapters across the country, notable professional athletes, biopharmaceutical representatives, healthcare professionals, and those directly impacted by rare disease and their families. The Young Investigator Draft is family-friendly and VIP tickets include a special behind the scenes tour of Eagles stadium.
For more information or to purchase tickets for the Uplifting Athletes 2024 Young Investigator Draft, please visit https://charity.pledgeit.org/YID2024.
About Uplifting Athletes
Uplifting Athletes is a nonprofit organization founded in 2007 that harnesses the power of sport to build a community that invests in the lives of the more than 30 million people impacted by rare diseases in America. Since its inception, Uplifting Athletes has raised more than $9 million by engaging athletes in order to positively impact the rare disease community through driving action, awareness, and funding research. To learn more about Uplifting Athletes visit www.upliftingathletes.org.
