Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas honored world‑renowned physician‑scientist Francis Collins , MD, PhD, as the 2026 recipient of the Dr. Charles L. Branch BrainHealth Award on March 26 at an invitation-only celebration uniting philanthropists, scientists, students and community leaders committed to advancing the future of brain health.The Branch Award is the center’s highest scientific honor and recognizes pioneers whose work fundamentally reshapes understanding of the brain and human potential. Dr. Collins, who led the international Human Genome Project and later served as the longest‑tenured director of the National Institutes of Health, was recognized for a career that has transformed modern medicine and influenced neuroscience, genetics and precision health.
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“When I started Center for BrainHealth, it was with the belief that our brain, the most important organ, can be strengthened, protected and improved across the lifespan, not just treated when something goes wrong,” said Sandra Bond Chapman , PhD, founder and chief director at Center for BrainHealth. “Dr. Collins exemplifies the bold, visionary leadership this award honors having led science that pushes boundaries and ultimately improves lives.”
Honoring a Scientific Trailblazer
In accepting the award, Dr. Collins praised the center’s mission and momentum.
“What an honor it is to be here celebrating the remarkable achievements of the Center for BrainHealth,” said Dr. Francis Collins. “Being in this place, and among this community, I can feel the momentum behind what you’re building, and the proactive approach is exactly what the future of health needs.”
A Legacy Continues
The award also celebrates the enduring legacy of its namesake, Charles L. Branch, MD, a pioneering neurosurgeon and humanitarian. Speaking on behalf of the Branch family, Dr. Charlie Branch reflected on the deep alignment between Collins’ work and his father’s life’s mission.
“Dr. Collins, in many ways, you and my father are kindred spirits – scientists with humble beginnings, pioneers who shaped their fields and thinkers who paired scientific pursuit with deep humanity,” Branch said. “We are honored that you have chosen to accept this recognition, and I am confident my father would be more than pleased.”
Past honorees include pioneering neurosurgeon Dr. Wilder Penfield whose work revolutionized epilepsy treatment, Susan Hockfield , PhD, former MIT president whose leadership advanced neuroscience and neurotechnology at the highest levels, Mark D’Esposito , MD, a leader in cognitive neuroscience and co‑leader of The BrainHealth Project and Brenda Milner , PhD, whose foundational discoveries reshaped our understanding of memory and language in the human brain.
About Center for BrainHealth at UT Dallas
Center for BrainHealth ® , part of The University of Texas at Dallas, is a translational research institute committed to enhancing, preserving, and restoring brain health across the lifespan. Major research areas include the use of functional and structural neuroimaging techniques to better understand the neurobiology supporting cognition and emotion in health and disease. This leading-edge scientific exploration is translated quickly into practical innovations to improve how people think, work and live, empowering people of all ages to unlock their potential through optimal brain performance. Translational innovations leverage 1) the BrainHealth Index , a proprietary measure that uniquely charts one’s upward (or downward) holistic brain health trajectory; and 2) Strategic Memory Advanced Reasoning Tactics ( SMART™ ), a strategy-based methodology developed and tested by BrainHealth researchers and other teams over three decades.