Philanthropy

Support Our
Research

Federal grants fund the core of our work. Philanthropy funds the edges — the pilot studies, the equipment purchases, and the trainee stipends that make the next grant possible. Every gift to our lab has a direct path to patient impact.

"West Virginia has the highest rates of epilepsy in the United States. Most of our patients have never had access to a Level 4 Epilepsy Center before coming to WVU Medicine. The science we do here is not just abstract discovery — it is the direct response to a population that has been left out of modern neurology. Supporting this lab means supporting the people of West Virginia."
Andy Chan, MD — Principal Investigator
Our Impact So Far

Why Epilepsy Research at WVU Matters

West Virginia faces a disproportionate burden of neurological disease. Your support helps us close the gap.

#1
WV has the highest epilepsy prevalence rate in the United States
50%
of people with drug-resistant epilepsy also have clinical depression
1 in 26
Americans will develop epilepsy in their lifetime
30%
of epilepsy patients do not achieve seizure control with medications
Give Today

Ways to Support the Lab

All gifts to the Chan Lab are processed through the WVU Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. Gifts are tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.

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Directed Gift to Epilepsy Research
Make a gift directly designated to the Chan Lab's epilepsy and neurotechnology research fund through the WVU Foundation. Gifts at any level are welcomed and can be one-time or recurring. Use the designation field to direct your gift to the "Neurology Epilepsy Research Fund" or contact us to set up a named fund.
Give via WVU Foundation →
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Trainee Stipend Support
Help fund a medical student summer research fellowship, a resident research year, or a graduate student stipend supplement. Trainee support is one of the highest-leverage uses of philanthropic dollars — it directly funds the next generation of physician-scientists in West Virginia.
Contact us to discuss →
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Equipment & Pilot Study Funding
Some of our most important work requires equipment that NIH grants don't cover — including bedside research devices, wearable sensor platforms, and data infrastructure. Pilot study funding through philanthropy also allows us to generate the preliminary data needed to compete for larger federal grants.
Contact us to discuss →
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Community Outreach & Access Programs
We are developing community-facing programs to improve epilepsy awareness, telehealth access, and care coordination for patients in rural Appalachian West Virginia. These programs sit outside the scope of our federal grants but are central to our mission.
Contact us to discuss →
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Industry Partnership & Sponsored Research
Companies developing neurotechnology, medical devices, or digital health platforms can partner with us through sponsored research agreements, materials transfer agreements, and co-development arrangements. WVU's Office of Technology Transfer supports all industry partnership structures.
Industry partnership details →
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Estate & Planned Giving
Consider including WVU's neuroscience research program in your estate plans. Planned gifts — including bequests, charitable trusts, and beneficiary designations — can have a transformative, lasting impact on neurological disease research in West Virginia. The WVU Foundation can provide guidance on all planned giving vehicles.
WVU Foundation planned giving →
Transparency

How Philanthropic Dollars Are Used

Philanthropic support fills gaps that federal grants cannot. Here is how unrestricted gifts to the lab are typically allocated.

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Medical Student Fellowships
Summer and year-long fellowships for WVU medical students entering research, typically $3,000–$6,000 per student per summer. These are the investments that produce the next generation of clinician-scientists.
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Research Equipment
Bench and bedside research devices not covered under NIH direct costs, including wearable sensors, EEG amplifiers, and data acquisition hardware for the epilepsy monitoring unit.
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Conference Travel
Travel support for trainees and junior lab members presenting at the American Epilepsy Society, Society for Neuroscience, NeurIPS, and other national meetings. Presentations are essential for career development and scientific dissemination.
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Pilot Studies
Small-scale feasibility studies that generate the preliminary data needed to apply for NIH R01 and R21 grants. Pilot funding is often the critical difference between a competitive and non-competitive federal application.
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Community Outreach
Patient education materials, epilepsy awareness events, and telehealth outreach programs for rural West Virginia communities who lack access to subspecialty epilepsy care.
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Open Access Publication
Article Processing Charges (APCs) for open-access publication ensure that our scientific findings are freely available to clinicians, researchers, patients, and the public — not locked behind journal paywalls.
Giving Levels

What Your Gift Funds

Approximate examples of philanthropic impact at each level.

  • $250
    Covers open-access publication fees for one research paper, making our findings freely available worldwide.
  • $1,000
    Funds conference travel for a medical student or resident presenting research at the American Epilepsy Society annual meeting.
  • $5,000
    Supports a medical student summer research fellowship — 10 weeks of dedicated research time producing a manuscript or abstract.
  • $10,000
    Funds a pilot study from IRB submission through data collection and analysis — generating the preliminary data that powers our next NIH application.
  • $25,000+
    Endows a named trainee fellowship, funds a major equipment purchase for the epilepsy monitoring unit, or launches a community outreach initiative. Contact us to discuss naming and recognition opportunities.
Contact Us
Questions About Giving?
For major gifts, named fund discussions, or questions about how your contribution would be used, please contact Andy directly. We are grateful for every expression of support and will respond personally to all serious inquiries.
All gifts processed through the WVU Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) · EIN: 31-0684726
Email Andy WVU Foundation →
Proudly Supported By

Current funding sources supporting Chan Lab research.

NIH National Institute of Mental Health NIH NINDS NSF IUCRC BRAIN Center FUS Focused Ultrasound Foundation WVU Clinical & Translational Science Institute