Episode 24: Traumatic Brain Injury. A Conversation with Dr. Dalton Dietrich

Dr. Maxwell Boakye
June 15, 2022

How do we push the ball forward for the research and treatment of traumatic brain injury and other neurological diseases? To answer that question, my guest Dr. Dalton Dietrich will dive into everything he and his team are doing at the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. Join us as we discuss his work with inflammasomes, secrets for research success, and the most exciting advances in the field of TBI.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in…

Dr. Dietrich discusses his research, how he got involved in neurotrauma and some of his career highlights [3:20]
Diving into the logistics of Dr. Dietrich’s world-renowned neurotrauma research center [5:50]
Dr. Dietrich’s advice to up-and-coming neuroscience institutes [12:11]
Advancing scientific care through fundraising [13:45]
The secret of scientific innovation and success [16:40]
The most exciting recent advances in traumatic brain injury treatments or research [18:53]
Inflammasomes and their role in traumatic brain injury [25:51]
The impact COVID has on people living with TBI [32:32]
TBI and the development of Alzheimer’s [35:48]
Dr. Dietrich looks 30 years back and 30 years forward [38:16]
The magic wand question [42:17]

Comprehensive research

The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis is one of the world’s best centers for traumatic brain and spinal cord injury research, as well as research for other kinds of neurological disorders. As its scientific director, Dr. Dietrich has unique insight into what makes this center so special. When he came on board, his vision was to adapt and transfer the information learned from spinal cord injury to other types of neurological problems, such as traumatic brain injury, stroke, and neurodegenerative diseases. Of course, the research would be comprehensive because the team would consist of basic, translational, and clinical scientists all working together and sharing results. These improvements dramatically expanded the scope of the Miami Project while still sticking to protection and repair as its focus.

Teamwork makes the dream work

When thinking about building your own neuroscience institute or research center, Dr. Dietrich says one of the most important factors is the team you build to run it. He recommends bringing in scientists who are highly collaborative and who don’t only want to work on their personal areas of interest. Find people who are transparent about the challenges and want to work together to find solutions. Leadership with vision was also a huge part of Dr. Dietrich’s success story. You want leaders who will push the envelope to perform cutting-edge research. With the right mix of people, you can do amazing things.

Fundraising for the future

A big piece to running a successful research center is fundraising. Dr. Dietrich notes that the Miami Project has been very lucky to have great connections since its inception. The project’s founder, Dr. Barth Green, was connected with the father of Miami Dolphin’s middle linebacker Marc Buoniconti after a severe cervical spinal cord injury, and the rest is history. While most centers can’t have the same budget as the Miami Project, Dr. Dietrich recommends finding philanthropists and connecting with them. Invite them to your center. Show them what you do. Find out their interests and tell them how they can help. Dietrich says in general, people want to hear about science. They want to invest in the future. All you have to do is ask.

Download the transcript of this conversation