The NFL, GE and Under Armour will launch a $20 million open innovation challenge to find and fund solutions to diagnose and protect against traumatic brain injury. The NFL and GE also announced the Head Health Initiative, a four-year, $60 million collaboration to speed diagnosis and improve treatment for mild traumatic brain injury. The goal of the research and innovation program, guided by healthcare experts, is to improve the safety of athletes, members of the military and society overall.

The Health Initiative includes a four-year, $40 million research and development program to evaluate and develop next generation imaging technologies to improve diagnosis that would allow for targeting treatment therapy for patients with mild traumatic brain injury.

With this initiative, we will advance our research and apply our learning to sports-related concussions, brain injuries suffered by members of the military and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons, said GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt. Advancing brain science will help families everywhere.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell shared that he and Immelt have had many conversations over the years about business and football. The future of our great game is bright, said Goodell. The NFL has made tremendous progress in making the game safer and more exciting. But we know we have more work to do. Our collaboration with GE and Under Armour and the launch of the innovation challenges puts us on an accelerated path to progress with experienced scientists, academics and entrepreneurs dedicated to developing game-changing technologies that will benefit athletes, the military and all members of society.

Research to map brain imaging biomarkers

The research will take a whole brain approach to determine the key Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) biomarkers for potential diagnosis, outcome prediction, and therapy management for patients with mild traumatic brain injury. The research study will be guided by an advisory board consisting of a cross-disciplinary team of medical professionals from various institutions.

In addition to the research program, the NFL is partnering with GE and Under Armour to launch the Head Health Challenge, which has two focus areas that seek new solutions for understanding mild traumatic brain injury. The organizations are pledging to find and fund ideas that accelerate solutions for brain protection. The challenge fund could invest up to $20 million.

As longstanding partners of the NFL, we recognize the magnitude of this initiative, and the impact it will have for athletes at all levels. Under Armour was founded upon the pillar of making all athletes better through the relentless pursuit of innovation, stated Kevin Plank, founder and CEO of Under Armour. We take great pride in supporting this effort to reward new ideas and breakthrough concepts in this space, particularly as it applies to protecting athletes and influencing positive change in sports.

Challenge I: Methods for diagnosis and prognosis of mild traumatic brain injuries

Starting March 11, GE and the NFL are inviting proposals for technologies and imaging biomarkers that address identification and management of subclinical and mild traumatic brain injury. Multiple cash awards with a cumulative total value of up to $10 million will be made, along with the possibility of future partnership and collaboration with GE. Entries are being immediately accepted at www.NFLGEBrainChallenge.com. Specific focus areas for this challenge include:

 
  • Development and validation of imaging and/or sensor based biomarkers that can aid in the diagnosis and prognosis of mild traumatic brain injury events. These include imaging biomarkers of brain structure, connectivity, function, cognition, neuroinflammation, and molecular markers.
  • Development of new technologies that are more sensitive to small contusions and injuries that are missed by current technologies; and assessing the long-term chronic impact of these events. 
  • Improved algorithms for the quantification and visualization of markers of brain injury severity and longitudinal change. 
  • Algorithms and tools that link imaging data to clinical, cognitive, and biomechanical data.
  • Models of individual risk and long-term prognosis and clinical decision support tools using population studies.
  • Robust methods for triaging acute stage events and developing Return to Play guidelines using physiological, molecular, electrical or physical changes in brain or body functions.

Challenge II: The mechanics of injury: innovative approaches for preventing and identifying brain injuries

Launching in fall 2013, the NFL, Under Armour and GE will invite proposals for new materials and technologies that can protect the brain from traumatic injury and new tools for tracking head impacts in real time. Specific focus areas for this challenge include, but are not limited to:

Protection against Injury

 
  • Materials or devices that can distribute the force of impact. These include smart materials or active polymers that are comfortable but can adapt to sudden impacts are highly desirable 
  • Systems to predict and initiate protective responses to prevent injury activation of adaptive padding at the focus of impact

Monitoring and identifying injury

  • Systems that monitor and integrate directional and rotational impact forces. These systems should integrate information with imaging/diagnostic equipment 
  • Sensors to provide biofeedback to modify behaviors that predispose athletes to injury
  • Systems that monitor biomechanical and physiological responses to detect injury
  • Systems to efficiently collect, interpret and organize large quantities of real-time data

The winners of the challenges will be selected by a panel of external judges that include leading healthcare experts in brain research, imaging technologies, and advocates for advances in brain research.