The Brain Injury Research Institute (BIRI) is a center for the study of traumatic brain injuries and their prevention that was founded in 2002. Its founding members include: Julian E. Bailes, M.D., Chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at

West Virginia University School of Medicine The West Virginia University School of Medicine is the professional school for studying medicine and other health professions at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The medical school was established in 1902 as the first such ...

and former NFL and current NCAA team physician;

Bennet Omalu Bennet Ifeakandu Omalu (born September 30, 1968"About Bennet Omalu"
, B ...

, M.D., forensic neuropathologist, who is the Chief Medical Examiner for

San Joaquin County, California San Joaquin County ( ; , meaning " St. Joachim"), officially the County of San Joaquin, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States 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 university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Davis, California, United States. It is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University ...

; and Robert P. Fitzsimmons, Senior Partner at Fitzsimmons Law Offices, in

Wheeling, West Virginia Wheeling is a city in Ohio County, West Virginia, Ohio and Marshall County, West Virginia, Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The county seat of Ohio County, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mo ...

. The Institute has established a brain and tissue bank. It now houses 20 brains for future research.Brain Injury Research Institute
BIRI Official Website. Accessed July 18, 2013.

Bennet Omalu Bennet Ifeakandu Omalu (born September 30, 1968"About Bennet Omalu"
, 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 gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

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 wor ...

(CTE) in the brain of

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional football (gridiron), professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, 1963, the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of profes ...

player

Mike Webster Michael Lewis Webster (March 18, 1952September 24, 2002) was an American professional football center in the National Football League (NFL) from 1974 to 1990 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs. He is a member of the Pro Footb ...

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, 1969 – May 2, 2012) was an American professional football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, mostly with the San Diego Chargers. Known for his passionate ...

'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