Helping Generations Initiative

My name is Ali Jawaid and I am a medical doctor/neuroscientist. I currently head a Neuroscience lab called Laboratory for Translational Research in Neuropsychiatric Disorder (TREND) in Warsaw, Poland and have collaborations in Australia, Bosnia, Pakistan, Switzerland, and USA.

Our lab works with two of the most vulnerable and innocent populations in the world: children and seniors. With regards to children, our lab is focussed on finding ways to reduce the long-term harmful effects of childhood trauma on the brain. We also study how effects of childhood trauma are passed down generations and pursue ways to prevent it. Our other focus is on dementia in the seniors, and we look for approaches to slow down these disorders that are not based on drugs but rely on positive nurturing, such as enriching environments and dietary modifications. To find out more about what we do, you can watch the little animation introduction we made.

Helping Generations Initiative is a step towards realization of my dream to incorporate a direct humanitarian perspective to our research efforts. We have ample funding for research and Helping Generations Initiative is not meant for financing our research. Instead, it will provide us ways to to support the vulnerable populations of children and seniors directly when we interact with them during our studies. Additionally, it will be used to raise awareness about biological transmission of trauma across generations. Finally, it will be used to train deserving scientists who are passionate to do research in these important topics. The initiative has different domains.

1. Jawaid Fund for children: This fund will be used to directly support the populations of traumatised children based in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Pakistan, and Poland. The donation will be provided to children in the form of gifts, nutritional supplements, educational material or provision of psychological help.

The fund is named after my father and starts with a little endowment I make in his name from my personal funds.

2. Sardar Begum scholarship: This will include yearly scholarships to support students and young scientists to receive training in Neuroscience research in my lab. The scholarship will be awarded only to candidates who display extraordinary competence and truly deserve financial assistance. The scholarship will be used to cover their travel, lodging, and other essential needs.

This fund is named after my grand mother and also starts with a little endowment I make in her name from my personal funds.

3. Ahmed Mukhtar- Javed Qureshi Dementia Initiative: This fund is specially designated to create and propagate educational material related to dementia screening, diagnosis and care.

The fund is named after two dear patients of mine, who fought dementia with utter resilience and leave a legacy of dignity and grace.