The Brain Injury Research Institute (BIRI) is a center for the study of traumatic brain injuries and their prevention that was founded in 2002.
West Virginia University School of Medicine
The West Virginia University School of Medicine is the professional school for the study of medicine and other health professions at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The medical school was established in 1902 as the first ...
and former NFL and current NCAA team physician; Bennet Omalu
Bennet Ifeakandu Omalu (born September 30, 1968["About Bennet Omalu"](_blank)
, B ...
, M.D., forensic neuropathologist, who is the Chief Medical Examiner for San Joaquin County, California
San Joaquin County (; Spanish: ''San Joaquín'', meaning " St. Joachim"), officially the County of San Joaquin, is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 779,233. The county seat is Stockton.
San Jo ...
, and Associate Adjunct Professor at the University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The institut ...
; and Robert P. Fitzsimmons, Senior Partner at Fitzsimmons Law Offices, in Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Located almost entirely in Ohio County, of which it is the county seat, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and also contains a tiny portion extending ...
.[
The Institute has established a brain and tissue bank. It now houses 20 brains for future research.][Brain Injury Research Institute](_blank)
BIRI Official Website. Accessed July 18, 2013.
Bennet Omalu
Bennet Ifeakandu Omalu (born September 30, 1968["About Bennet Omalu"](_blank)
, B ...
was the first to identify chronic brain damage as a factor in the deaths of some National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
players.[ He discovered ]chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated trauma to the head. The encephalopathy symptoms can include behavioral problems, mood problems, and problems with thinking. The disease often gets worse o ...
(CTE) in the brain of Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coach ...
player Mike Webster
Michael Lewis Webster (March 18, 1952September 24, 2002) was an American professional football player who was a center in the National Football League (NFL) from 1974 to 1990 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. He is a membe ...
in 2002.[ Webster's son, Garrett Webster, is BIRI's administrator & player liaison.][ Omalu participated in former NFL player ]Junior Seau
Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau Jr. (; ; January 19, 1969May 2, 2012) was an American professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL), mostly with the San Diego Chargers. Known for his passionate play, he was a ...
's autopsy after the latter's 2012 suicide.[
]
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Medical research institutes in the United States
Research institutes established in 2002
2002 establishments in the United States
Medical and health organizations based in West Virginia