Prof. Gluck at conference in Israel

(NEWARK, NJ)— When American, Israeli and Palestinian scientists work collaboratively, barriers of religion and ethnicity disappear, and shared knowledge advances the ability of science to improve the lives of citizens worldwide. This is the belief and experience of Mark Gluck, professor of neuroscience at Rutgers University in Newark, who soon returns to the United States after successfully organizing an international conference co-hosted by Rutgers-Newark, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Al Quds University Medical School.

“I’m a major proponent of cooperative efforts among international, educational institutions,” says Gluck, one of over 50 accomplished scholars, scientists, postdoctoral and doctoral students who shared findings at the conference on the latest research and developments in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. “Such interactions continue to enhance research in all countries as well as promote greater inclusion of students and professionals who are not otherwise able to connect with global, leading-edge neurological researchers and clinicians.”

To that end, Gluck is engaged in raising funds to support a “Middle East Collaborative Research Consortium on Brain Disorders.” The collaborative plans to dispatch Rutgers scholars to Israel, the West Bank and Egypt to provide further training, research, and education on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

In the meantime, Gluck will resume activities in the United States and endeavor to continue building on the momentum set in motion at the conference, while an Arabic-speaking postdoctoral fellow from his Rutgers-Newark lab will remain abroad for the summer to train a team of Israeli and Palestinian students. Specifically, the students will work together with the fellow to study Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases in both Israeli and Palestinian communities with the hope of advancing the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases in all communities everywhere.