About the Center for Neuronal Longevity

The vision for the USC Center for Neuronal Longevity (CNL) is to develop a world-leading center of excellence with a focus on adaptive, programmable, interventional bioengineered systems to prevent and treat prevalent neurodegenerative diseases of the brain and retina that have no foreseeable cure. Unlike other past and current technologies, which focus on developing neuroprosthetics to bypass damaged tissue to restore senses, reduce parkinsonian tremor, or use neural control of robotic limbs to restore motion, CNL focuses on neuronal longevity by preventing neuronal loss in neurodegenerative diseases; because once neurons are lost, they cannot be restored. CNL will achieve its goal by creating a new class of micro- and nano-scale engineering systems that, in their final rendition, can be controlled in part by commonly available portable devices and will induce primary healing and/or prevent further neuronal and functional loss. Additionally, CNL will focus on producing a diverse group of scholars who fully reflect a pluralistic society. Through our world-class faculty, academic programs, and student support, CNL is committed to attracting, retaining, educating, graduating, and placing outstanding scholars who are life-long learners from all backgrounds and demographic sectors of our multi-cultural world into positions of leadership where they can shape the future of engineering systems for neuronal longevity.

The Center for Neuronal Longevity (CNL) is a cross-campus, multi-school venture that brings together the Keck School of Medicine, Viterbi School of Engineering, and the School of Pharmacy. Housed in the USC Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics led by CNL Director, Mark S. Humayun, MD, PhD; the USC Institute for Technology and Medical Systems led by CNL Deputy Director, Gianluca Lazzi, PhD; and the USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute led by CNL Deputy Director, Arthur W. Toga, PhD; CNL also seeks to further USC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion as well as workforce development through training, education, and outreach programs and includes external scientific and industry advisory boards.