Nemours Neurologist Secures Prestigious NIH Transformative Research Award
A leading physician-scientist at Nemours Children’s Health has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s Transformative Research Award. Rodney Scott, MBChB, MRCP, DipStat, PhD, serves as Division Chief of Neurology for the Nemours Delaware Valley region and will channel a $2.6 million, five-year grant into a pioneering effort to uncover shared mechanisms of hippocampal dysfunction across multiple brain disorders.
The Hippocampus: A Potential Common Ground for Diverse Disorders
The hippocampus is a critical brain region involved in memory formation, learning, and emotional regulation. Dr. Scott explains that in conditions such as autism, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease, this region may fail to operate in ways that disrupt cognitive and behavioral function. “In disorders like autism, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s, the part of the brain called the hippocampus doesn’t function properly,” he notes. “Current treatments target each disease separately, often with limited success.”
The NIH Transformative Research Award is designed to support high-risk, high-reward research that crosses traditional boundaries. By focusing on shared abnormal activity patterns in the hippocampus, Dr. Scott and his team aim to lay the groundwork for therapies that could benefit a spectrum of neurological conditions rather than treating them in isolation.
A Collaborative, Multidisciplinary Approach
Dr. Scott’s project is a collaboration with Matt Mahoney, PhD, Principal Computational Scientist at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine. The team will create living and computer models to identify disruptions in hippocampal neural networks. While Dr. Scott’s group will gather rich biological data from affected individuals, Dr. Mahoney and colleagues will lead the development of mathematical models to analyze and simulate the brain’s complex dynamics.
“The objective is to detect shared patterns of dysfunction across conditions and translate those discoveries into practical interventions,” says Dr. Scott. “If we can map the variability and pinpoint universal disruption in neural networks, we can design targeted brain stimulation strategies that restore healthier hippocampal function across disorders.”
<h2 From Data to Therapies: The Path Forward
The grant supports both observational data collection and innovative modeling, enabling investigators to examine large datasets and test hypotheses in a rigorous, accelerated manner. The researchers will integrate neuroimaging, electrophysiology, genomics, and behavioral data to construct high-fidelity models of hippocampal circuitry. The ultimate aim is to identify biomarkers and stimulation-based interventions that could improve memory, cognition, and emotional regulation in children and adults alike.
The project’s scope reflects Nemours’ broader commitment to translating scientific discoveries into tangible health outcomes. Dr. Scott, who joined Nemours in 2021 after an international career spanning Zimbabwe, England, and the United States, is also a Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics at Sidney Kimmel Medical College and a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Delaware. His resume includes advances in epilepsy treatment and innovative applications of complex adaptive systems theory to neurological disease.
<h2 Leadership Commentary and Implications for Patients
“This NIH support allows investigators to pursue ideas that sit outside the mainstream, with the potential to rewrite our understanding of several brain disorders,” remarks Matthew M. Davis, MD, MAPP, Nemours’ Executive VP and Chief Scientific Officer. “By aiming to improve cognitive function and quality of life across childhood and adulthood, this work embodies Nemours’ mission to advance science and patient care for generations to come.”
<h2 Looking Ahead
As the research unfolds, clinicians, researchers, patients, and families will watch for breakthroughs that could redefine how neurologists approach autism, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease. While breakthroughs are not guaranteed and the work is inherently high-risk, the NIH Transformative Research Award signals a bold step toward integrating disparate disorders into a unified framework of brain health. The Nemours team hopes that identifying shared hippocampal dysfunction will lead to cross-condition therapies that improve daily living for patients while sparing them from multiple, disease-specific treatment regimens.
<h2 About the NIH Transformative Research Award
The NIH Transformative Research Awards encourage cross-disciplinary science and the exploration of unconventional ideas with high potential for impact. They support researchers who are willing to take scientific risks to develop new paradigms for understanding disease and creating preventative and therapeutic strategies. This award underscores Nemours’ commitment to advancing cutting-edge science, patient-centered care, and long-term health outcomes.
