Neuro Innovations

STAN AND JODI ROSS CHOSE TO HELP FUND PILOT TRIALS IN THE GROWING AREA OF NEUROMODULATION

Stan and Jodi Ross with Dr. Ali Rezai, the Stanley D. and Joan H. Ross Chair in Neuromodulation in The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Department of Neurological Surgery.

In 1993, Stan (BA, 1962) and Joan (Jodi) Ross got the call that every parent dreads: their son had been in a car accident. Thanks to the team of neurologists at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, their son made a full recovery. The experience inspired the Rosses to become more involved with Ohio State.

Stan and Jodi met Dr. Ali Rezai and learned how his work in neuromodulation—deep brain stimulation to alleviate chronic physical, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive impairment—was having a dramatically positive impact on neurology patients. Those suffering from Parkinson’s, tremors, epilepsy, chronic pain, and obsessive-compulsive disorder have benefitted from neuromodulation.

The Rosses were so impressed with Dr. Rezai’s work that they created the Stanley D. and Joan H. Ross Chair in neuromodulation in The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Department of Neurological Surgery.

“We knew straight away that Dr. Rezai is an impressive person doing impressive things,” Stan said. “His work is just the tipping point. He and his team have made incredible strides and have alleviated a lot of suffering.”

Rezai and his team are also collaborating with other Ohio State specialists to develop innovative brain pacemaker treatment approaches for patients with severe and disabling depression, traumatic brain injury, addiction, obesity, Alzheimer’s, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other neurological disorders. The positive personal and social impacts that this type of treatment offers have the potential to permeate every quarter of society; however, the practice of neuromodulation is in its infancy, often complicating the issue of fundraising.

“But for the generosity of Stan and Jodi Ross, we would not be able to provide seed monies to fund pilot trials that can grow into larger grants from the National Institutes of Health and other sources,” said Dr. Rezai. “It’s difficult to obtain federal funding for new clinical trial innovations like neuromodulation, so pioneer donor support like that provided by Stan and Jodi is critical to helping us advance the field.”