The Ruth K. Broad Biomedical Research Foundation began as a family foundation in the late 1980s to honor the memory of Ruth Broad and to advance the understanding of neurodegenerative diseases – particularly Alzheimer’s disease. With the help of a physician consultant, the Foundation’s first grants were made to Dennis Selkoe, Allen Roses, Fred Gage, and Stanley Prusiner, all of whom have made significant contributions to the field since these awards. During this timeframe the decision was made to transfer the Foundation to Duke to become a support corporation. The Foundation would now fund programs at Duke and continue to fund a grant outside of Duke (the extramural grant).
RKBF transferred assets to Duke to begin its new relationship during 1991 – 1993. The financial growth made possible by the affiliation with Duke has allowed for expansion of grant programs over the years.
The Foundation understands the value of basic science research as well as the need for seed funding and the development of young investigators. RKBF provides $350,000 – $400,000 per year for Duke awards. These include the RKB Seminar Series in Neurobiology and Disease, and several neuroscience research awards, namely the Broad Faculty Scholar Award, the Broad Postdoctoral Fellow Award, and the Broad Research Award for Graduate Students. Including awards through June 30, 2019, Duke has received over $6M in program funding from RKBF. RKBF also funds a PI level research grant outside of Duke, currently at $125,000 per year. Total non-Duke (extramural) grant spending since the start of RKBF is $3.4M. RKBF has topped $9.5 M in total awards spending since its inception.
In 2018, RKBF and the Shepard Broad Foundation partnered to create the Morris N. Broad Professorship in Neuroscience at Duke. RKBF and the Shepard Broad Foundation, directed by Broad family members Ann Bussel, Dan Bussel, Debby Bussel, Karen Berman and John Bussel, contributed to the professorship endowment fund.
Then in 2020, RKBF and the Shepard Broad Foundation again partnered to create a new research award in honor of Ann B. Bussel, long-time board member of the Ruth K. Broad Biomedical Research Foundation, in recognition of her thirty-year commitment to funding and supporting creative research efforts directed at understanding and treating Alzheimer’s disease at Duke and at other research institutions.
The purpose of the Ann B. Bussel Research Award is to improve our understanding of Alzheimer’s and related dementias, towards the goal of therapy and prevention. Studies should advance new approaches that have the potential to reveal new biomarkers, disease mechanisms, or novel therapeutic approaches and may be rooted in multiple disciplines. Ann Bussel became an emeritus member of the RKBF Board of Directors in June of 2020 on the same occasion as the awarding of the first research grant in her name.
