The Discovery

With the Gilmers' funding, his team discovered that one protein, lipocalin-2 (LCN2), may serve as a doorway for creating the first strategies to protect people from the cognitive effects of sepsis. The protein may also be useful for diagnosing sepsis earlier, which is essential to reduce the number of lives it claims.

"It's the most important discovery I've made since I started my lab in 2011, and it wouldn't have happened without the Gilmers," Dr. Fryer says. "We think we may be able to target LCN2, either directly or indirectly, to reduce inflammation during sepsis and protect the brain. We also think measuring LCN2 levels may be helpful for determining if a patient is developing sepsis."

For the Gilmers, the discovery had a double impact. "We seized the opportunity to support Dr. Fryer's research because our family has firsthand experience with the devastating effects of dementia," Gary says. "Little did we realize that he and his team would so quickly make a discovery that has potential for improving the treatment of two terrible conditions."