ARPA-H Announcement Seeks Research Projects in Brain Regeneration
Dan Lewis Foundation
The word arpah is written in blue letters on a white background.

On July 10, 2025, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) announced a major initiative titled Functional Repair of Neocortical Tissue or FRONT. The announcement states “FRONT will pioneer a curative therapy for the more than 20 million adults in the US living with chronic neocortical brain damage from neurodegeneration, stroke, trauma, and other causes, which costs the country an estimated $800 billion per year. Worldwide, more than 200 million people live with debilitating after-effects of brain damage.”



A set of informational meetings about this program and a due date for outlines of potential proposals have been set for August. Full proposals are due by September 25, 2025. Complete instructions, specifications, and expectations are delineated in the ARPA-H   FRONT announcement. The FRONT announcement includes a clear expectation that the successful brain regeneration methods that are discovered will be used in clinical trials with persons with brain injury by the fifth year of the program.


The DLF lauds ARPA-H for initiating this program. We are discussing possibilities for playing a supportive role as proposals develop. This exciting program is congruent with the original overarching goals of the DLF and confirms the validity of its mission.

Photo of Dr. Justin Burrell

2025 DLF Prize Awarded to Justin Burrell, Ph.D.

By Dan Lewis Foundation • July 31, 2025
Dr. Burrell is a translational neuroengineer in the Departments of Neurosurgery and Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. His research integrates advanced neural repair strategies with clinical translation, focusing on axon protection, nerve fusion, and engineered neural tissue for neurotrauma recovery. Dr. Burrell has led the development of multiple first-in-field innovations—including the first large-animal model of nerve fusion, delayed axonal fusion protocols, and the first orally active axonal protectants—positioning him as a recognized leader in regenerative neurotechnologies. He is co-founder of Neurostorative LLC and plays a central role in several other platforms aimed at neural reconnection, long-term preservation, and bio-integrated prosthetic systems. In the fall of 2025, he will begin as the Director of Translational Research at Penn’s Center for Neurodegeneration, Neuroregeneration, and Neurorehabilitation.
Dr. Kim Gorgens

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Dr. Kim Gorgens is a board-certified rehabilitation psychologist and Professor of Psychophysiology, Clinical Neuropsychology and Psychology of Criminal Behavior at the University of Denver . She manages a large portfolio of brain injury related research and has lectured extensively on those issues around the world. She has a 2010 TED talk on youth sports concussion and a 2018 TED talk on brain injuries in criminal justice with 3.5M views. She has been interviewed on CNN with Anderson Cooper, NPR, and on 20/20 and her work with brain injuries has been featured in USNews , Newsweek , the Economist , People Magazine , and more. She has a small forensic neuropsychology practice with juvenile and death penalty cases and is active in legislative and policy development around best practices in brain injury. Her research studies the reported injury history, cognitive function, and brain biomarkers of all vulnerable populations including young and older athletes, probationers and inmates, persons who are unhoused, and women who have been exposed to interpersonal violence.