The Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience, launched in 2022 and housed at Stanford University's Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, is dedicated to understanding and promoting brain health as we age. Its mission is to harness multidisciplinary scientific expertise to tackle one of the most baffling questions in brain science: Why do some people succumb to degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s while others reach their 90s with their mental acuity intact?

The initiative offers various programs to support innovative research in brain aging and resilience, including Catalyst Grants, Innovation Grants, and Pilot Grants. These programs aim to inspire new discoveries and extend human brain health long into what we now consider "old age." 

In addition to funding research, the Knight Initiative organizes seminars, symposia, and training programs to foster collaboration among experts in aging, dementia, and related fields. By uniting the Stanford neuroscience community around this unsolved question, the initiative aims to usher in a new era for brain science and extend human brain health.