Support This Program

MUSC is a 501(c)(3) federal tax-exempt non-profit organization and all contributions are tax-deductible. The first patron of our program was Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. who served as the 112th Governor of South Carolina from 1987 to 1995. Governor Campbell was instrumental in redefining the South Carolina Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, which governs research donations. We dedicated our research program to honor his legislative foresight in promoting research donation in South Carolina.

We want to grow our research programs, and are seeking external investments. There are so many ways a patron can help us including volunteering time, financial gifts, adopting research projects, creative advertising and employer match programs. Below are a few ways that others have helped in the past.

1. Direct tax-deductible financial contributions
Choose to make a donation, gift, or memorial fund to support this donor program. The full contribution will directly aid research in the fight against devastating neurological diseases. We confirm that your contribution was received by a personal letter unless you specify otherwise.

Option 1: Contact the MUSC Foundation at 843-792-2677 and designate Carroll A. Campbell, Jr. Neuropathology Laboratory for your contribution. 

Option 2: Mail a personal check to:
    Carroll Campbell Neuropathology Lab
    Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
    171 Ashley Avenue MSC 908
    Charleston, SC 29425-9080

2. Employer match programs
Consider asking your employer to adopt our program at their next charitable fundraiser event. Many businesses could choose to match employee contributions in a targeted fundraiser campaign. We would be delighted to host tours or to attend small events for these kinds of occasions.

3. Volunteer time or offer creative advertising solutions
Volunteers enrich the research and outreach environment. Our team can offer unique experiences for future scientists, for future health care workers, or even for individuals seeking rewarding activities. We do not have a budget for advertising and are always seeking creative advertising solutions or new ideas to enhance any element of what we do.

4. Adopt a specific research project
Although all charitable gifts are spent on research goals, some patrons are more interested in driving new research in our lab.
Below are innovative projects that will revolutionize what we do.
Contact 843-792-7867 or ccnl@musc.edu to make adoption arrangements.

Project 1. Extracellular Vesicles: Snapshots of Brain Health
Extracellular vesicles are small packages that get shed by neurons and other brain cells. Many of these packages contain biomarkers that may be useful in determining the earliest signs of neurodegenerative diseases. To measure these unique biomarkers from our biospecimens, we must purchase an ultra-sensitive instrument called the Simoa SR-X system. Costs will be $115,000 to get this project started.
Project 2. A Cerulean Focus on the Locus
The locus coeruleus (Latin for “blue spot”) is the only source of norepinephrine, an essential neurotransmitter that promotes attention and learning in the brain. It is also an epicenter of several kinds of pathology that occur in the brain stem due to Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. We are beginning a systematic investigation of the brain stem to better quantify pathological events and novel markers of aging associated with the locus coeruleus. Costs will be $600 per brain stem, and we have 60 of these projects for adoption.
Project 3. Multispectral Mining of Novel Disease Phenotypes
It is becoming necessary to explore automated techniques for locating pathology that localizes to three-dimensional MRI and PET imaging techniques. Recent advances in automated slide scanning and fluorescence imaging have enabled new capacities to meet this need. To venture on this new research horizon, we must purchase a Vectra Polaris Quantitative Pathology Imaging system and several new computing stations. We will use computational approaches to identify pathological associations that may help us learn more about why there are significant gender and race differences in disease prevalence. Costs will be $350,000 to get this instrument in the lab.
Project 4. Mapping the Inflammatory Storm in Down Syndrome-related Alzheimer’s Disease
Individuals with Down syndrome, who have three copies of chromosome 21 rather than the usual two, have an unusually low incidence of solid tumor occurrence, but unfortunately have the highest probability of developing Alzheimer’s disease of any known population (80% by the age of 60). Evidence suggests that they have extremely high levels of neuroinflammation that is thought to underly the development of this disease. Today very little is known about inflammatory phenotypes in DS brains. The Carroll A. Campbell Neuropathology Lab is partnered with the International Down Syndrome Bioconsortium to drive research exploring the characteristics and the driving mechanisms of neuroinflammation. We plan to quantify an extensive panel of inflammatory markers in the DS brain from individuals at various ages and disease burden. Costs will be $1000 per DS brain, and we have 30 projects that need adoption.
Project 5. The High-Res Brain Imaging Initiative
Typical MRI scans at the clinic are conducted rapidly and have lower resolution. At MUSC’s Center for Biomedical Imaging, we can perform much higher resolution scans of our donated brains using research-grade MRI instruments. This opportunity allows novel interfaces to create connectivity maps and to develop new imaging protocols to visualize structural and pathological features associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Costs are $400 per ½ hour for imaging costs. We have 60 of these ½ hour projects that need adoption.