HOUSTON – (Sept. 30, 2009) – Dr. Andrea Ballabio, scientific director of the Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine (TIGEM) in Naples, Italy, has joined the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine as a visiting scientist for one year. During that time, Dr. Ballabio’s research project will be based on his discovery of a gene that controls the ability of the cell to degrade and recycle toxic molecules, which was recently published in the journal Science. In particular, his team will focus on testing the application of his discovery for the therapy of Juvenile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses, also known as Batten disease, a rare and fatal genetic disorder of the nervous system that begins in childhood.

A $2.5 million gift from the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation and Cherie and Jim Flores enabled the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute to invite Dr. Ballabio and his colleague, Dr. Marco Sardiello, to collaborate on this research specific to Batten disease. The gift is the largest single research award ever made in this disease area. The mission of the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation is to increase awareness and raise research funds for both finding a cure and developing a universal carrier screening test for hundreds of devastating genetic diseases.

“It is a wonderful gift to have Dr. Ballabio working with our team,” said Dr. Huda Zoghbi, director of the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital. “He is a distinguished scientist whose research epitomizes the mission of this institute.”

Dr. Ballabio, who was previously on the faculty at Baylor College of Medicine in the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, focuses his studies on the biological mechanisms underlying genetic diseases, using both traditional and genomic approaches, and the development of innovative therapeutic approaches.

In addition to his work with the TIGEM, Dr. Ballabio currently holds the position of professor in medical genetics at the University of Naples Federico II.

"I am very excited to return to Baylor and contribute to the world class research activities at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute," said Dr. Ballabio. “This year will give me the opportunity to perform collaborative research projects with outstanding Baylor investigators and to start joint international research and training programs between Baylor, Texas Children’s Hospital, the Neurological Research Institute and TIGEM.”

Previously, Dr. Ballabio was president of the European Society of Human Genetics and is a member of several professional organizations including the European Molecular Biology Organization. He has published over 230 papers in prestigious, international scientific journals and has received numerous national and international awards for research and culture including the European Society of Human Genetics Award and the Silver Medal of the President of Italy. Dr. Ballabio is also the founder and director of the Biology for Medicine Foundation.

About the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute at Texas Children’s Hospital Recognizing there was no single institution using multidisciplinary research to guide the study of pediatric cognitive development and neurological disorders, Texas Children’s Hospital created the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute. Scheduled to open in 2010, the institute will be the first dedicated facility to use a multidisciplinary research approach to rapidly accelerate the search for treatments for pediatric neurological disorders. The specially-designed facility will be the crossroads where more than 170 researchers (over 15 principal investigators and their teams) across disciplines collaborate to bring promising new therapies to those afflicted with neurological diseases.

About Texas Children's Hospital
Texas Children's Hospital is committed to a community of healthy children by providing the finest pediatric patient care, education and research. Renowned worldwide for its expertise and breakthrough developments in clinical care and research, Texas Children’s is ranked in the top ten best children’s hospitals by U.S. News and World Report. Texas Children’s also operates the nation’s largest primary pediatric care network, with over 40 offices throughout the greater Houston community. Texas Children’s has embarked on a $1.5 Billion expansion, Vision 2010, which includes a Neurological Research Institute, a comprehensive obstetrics facility focusing on high risk births, and a community hospital in suburban West Houston. For more information, visit www.texaschildrens.org.