A major discovery about the human brain made at the School of Medicine was named a top 10 finalist for Breakthrough of the Year by Science, one of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals. The award aims to recognize the “most momentous scientific discovery, development or trend of 2015.”
The winners were announced on Dec. 17, and UVA came in third among People’s Choice voters.
About UVA’s Discovery
UVA researchers Jonathan Kipnis, PhD, and Antoine Louveau, PhD, overturned decades of textbook teaching when they discovered previously unknown vessels connecting the brain directly to the lymphatic system. The finding redrew the map of the human lymphatic system and struck down long-held beliefs about how the immune system functions in the brain. The discovery could have profound implications for a huge array of neurological diseases, from multiple sclerosis to Alzheimer’s disease. Read more.