Endocrine Society member, Daniel Hochbaum, MD, has received a Pershing Square Foundation Award “MIND” Prize, which includes a $750,000, three year grant.
Hochbaum, an assistant professor in the Program in Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is investigating how age-related declines in thyroid hormone signaling in the brain may contribute to cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. His project will define how inflammation disrupts local production of the active thyroid hormone T3 and test whether restoring brain T3 signaling can rescue synaptic and behavioral deficits in Alzheimer’s models, potentially revealing a new endocrine-based strategy to slow neurodegeneration.
Hochbaum, one of eight recipients of the “MIND” Prize, is also scheduled to speak at ENDO 2026 in Chicago, Ill., in June. On Sunday June 14, he will be a part of the session entitled “Thyroid Hormone on the Brain,” which begins at 10:30 a.m. His talk is titled “Synchronizing Body and Brain: Coordination of Metabolism and Exploration by Thyroid Hormone.”
Through the Prize, the Foundation strives to change the paradigm of neuroscience research by creating a community of next-frontier thinkers who can uncover a deeper understanding of the brain and cognition. Breakthroughs in basic scientific and translational research will yield critical tools for and knowledge of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia, which affect millions of people worldwide.
The MIND Prize will catalyze novel interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary work by facilitating collaborations across academic departments and institutions and amongst the academic, biomedical industry, philanthropic, and business communities. The 2026 Prize winners will each receive $750,000, distributed $250,000 per year for three years.
“Thanks to advanced technologies and human creativity, Alzheimer’s Disease and her siblings are finally being considered remediable disorders of the human condition,” said Pershing Square Foundation Trustee, Neri Oxman, PhD. “This year’s cohort reflects the promise of technological and biological research serendipity, tying molecular structures with behavioral patterns and genetic predispositions with the power of AI. We are excited to step into a future where the power of research can untangle the Eldredge knot that is AD.”
The Pershing Square Foundation (PSF) is a family foundation established in 2006 to support exceptional leaders and innovative organizations that tackle important issues and deliver scalable and sustainable global impact. PSF has committed more than $930 million in grants and social investments in target areas including health and medicine, education, economic development, environment, and innovation. Bill Ackman and Neri Oxman are co-trustees of the Foundation. For more information, visit: www.pershingsquarefoundation.org.
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