Report
The Global Brain Care Coalition: A Model to Put Brain Science into Action
27 Aug 2026
Samantha Schumm, PhD
Associate Director, SPARC, Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy
Samantha Schumm, PhD, is an associate director on the Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration team at Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy.
Lillian Parr
Associate, SPARC, Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy
Lillian Parr is an associate on the Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration team at Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy, where she supports the neuroscience and mental health programmatic areas.
Agnes Stephens
Director, Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC) team, Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy
Aggie McMahon Stephens, MSc, is a director on the Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC) team at Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy. With a background in clinical neuroscience, she specializes in science philanthropy, research sector development, and global collaborations that maximize the impact of investments in science.
Sylvie Raver, PhD
Managing Director, Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC) team, Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy
Sylvie Raver, PhD, is the managing director of the Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration (SPARC) team at Milken Institute Strategic Philanthropy.
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It takes an average of 17 years for a scientific discovery to travel from the lab to clinical practice. In brain health, that delay has a real cost as the global population ages and more people face conditions such as dementia, stroke, and depression later in life. Research has shown that modifiable risk factors, including diet, physical activity, blood pressure, and social connection, can meaningfully reduce the risk of such conditions. But individuals and communities first need the tools to put best practices into action.
The Global Brain Care Coalition (GBCC) was founded in 2024 within Mass General Brigham to short-circuit that translation delay by bringing rigorous brain science into practical tools. The effort is grounded in the Brain Care Score, which assesses modifiable factors that influence brain health.
Building such an initiative requires strategy, structure, and relationships to bolster the foundational science. The Milken Institute’s SPARC (Science Philanthropy Accelerator for Research and Collaboration) team partners with scientists, institutions, and philanthropists to do just that—accelerating biomedical research and driving real-world health improvements. From 2024 through 2026, SPARC partnered with the GBCC, providing strategic and operational guidance as the GBCC moved from a founding vision to an active coalition.
This case study examines that partnership from SPARC’s vantage point to consider what it takes to accelerate translation, including how to leverage an academic medical center’s infrastructure and the roles of philanthropy, operational support, and community engagement. For funders and institutions weighing similar work, the GBCC’s experience offers a useful example and set of lessons
This report is a companion piece to A Global Imperative to Improve Brain Health, which presented an analysis of the brain health ecosystem and called for building a future in which brain health is prioritized for everyone, everywhere.
