Vanderbilt University has announced a $20 million gift from the Tulsa-based William K. Warren Foundation in support of research on and the treatment of brain disorders.

The gift will establish the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, fund efforts to translate research into viable new drug treatments with the potential to prevent brain disorders such as Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, and Parkinson's disease, and establish an endowment in support of mentorship and a researcher pipeline. A promising compound already developed by Vanderbilt researchers and sponsored by the foundation could help slow memory loss associated with various cognitive diseases and has recently been advanced into human phase-1 FDA clinical trials.

The foundation was established 1945 by oilman William Kelly Warren and his wife, Natalie Overall Warren, who graduated from Vanderbilt in 1920. A longtime supporter of the university, the foundation has previously funded seven endowed faculty chairs and the William K. Warren Foundation Scholarship.

"The Warren Foundation is a visionary organization dedicated to supporting scientific and medical research designed to treat and prevent some of the most tragic, vexing diseases known to humankind. Having the foundation's imprimatur is truly a mark of distinction for Vanderbilt," said interim chancellor and provost Susan R. Wente, who is a leading cell biologist. "We are honored by the Warren family's multigenerational support across many areas of our beloved university. This latest gift demonstrates, once again, their enduring commitment to improving the human condition."

"We have been impressed with the creative approaches and hard work demonstrated by Vanderbilt researchers, especially [co-directors] Craig [Lindsley] and Jeff [Conn], in the Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery," said Warren Foundation CEO John-Kelly Warren, a grandson of the founders. "Supporting novel, research-based methods to combat devastating cognitive impairments and mental illnesses lies at the heart of our foundation's mission. It is also gratifying to support this research at Vanderbilt University, an institution that has made a significant impact on the lives of so many, including my family."