The Rainwater Charitable Foundation Announces 2026 Rainwater Prize Winners, Advancing Research in Primary Tauopathies and Neurodegenerative Disease

Strategic investments in tau and neurodegenerative research aim to accelerate scientific discoveries and drive progress toward the development of new therapies and diagnostics

FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rainwater Charitable Foundation (RCF), one of the largest independent funders of neurodegenerative research that enables field-advancing programs, resources, and breakthrough discoveries for primary tauopathies, today announced the 2026 Rainwater Prize recipients. The Rainwater Prize honors scientific contributions to the field of neurodegenerative research that focus on diseases associated with the accumulation of tau protein in the brain, with the goal of translating discoveries into meaningful therapeutic and diagnostic innovations.

Dennis W. Dickson, M.D., Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Florida and Melissa E. Murray, Ph.D., Professor of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic Florida, will be co-awarded the Outstanding Innovation in Neurodegenerative Research Prize of $400,000, and Marc Aurel Busche, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Dementia and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Basel & Programme Leader, UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London, will be awarded the Rainwater Prize for Innovative Early-Career Scientist of $200,000. The awardees will be honored for their achievements at the 2026 Tau Global Conference in Washington, D.C., on May 14-15.

Primary tauopathies include devastating disorders such as progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD), for which there are currently no disease-modifying treatments. Dr. Dickson and Dr. Murray will be recognized for their collective efforts yielding groundbreaking insights into the neuropathologic patterns and molecular mechanisms underlying PSP, CBD, and other neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Busche will be awarded for his discovery of the role that soluble oligomeric tau species plays in the dysfunction of neurons and its translational promise for primary tauopathies.

"This year's Rainwater Prize recipients are changing how the field understands and can ultimately treat tau-associated neurodegenerative diseases," said Jeremy Smith, president of the Rainwater Charitable Foundation. "Their work advances insight into tau biology and brings us closer to the day when patients and families affected by PSP, CBD, and related disorders have real therapeutic options."

Rainwater Prize for Outstanding Innovation in Neurodegenerative Research:

• Dr. Dennis Dickson, Professor and Consultant of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology and Consultant for the Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic
• Dr. Melissa Murray, Professor and Consultant of Department of Neuroscience and Consultant of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Mayo Clinic

Dr. Dickson's and Dr. Murray's individual achievements and collaborative efforts have deeply impacted the field of neurodegenerative disease research. Together, they direct the world's largest brain banks focused on tauopathies, collecting over 11,000 brain samples that support the pursuit of personalized therapeutic strategies. Dr. Dickson's expertise in neuropathologic diagnostics, including discoveries of mutations associated with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and parkinsonism, as well as accurate diagnostic criteria for CBD, have helped reshape understanding of tau-related diseases. Dr. Murray's application of digital pathology and cutting-edge imaging through her Translational Neuropathology Lab has pioneered advancements in Alzheimer's disease and tauopathy research through improved understanding of neuroimaging and plasma biomarkers. Their complementary approaches reveal distinct neuropathologic tau distribution patterns, enabling more accurate diagnosis, precise assessment of disease severity and brain health, and earlier detection of disease progression in primary tauopathies.

"I am thrilled to receive this award for our comprehensive neuropathology and biomarker efforts in the field of neurodegenerative disease alongside Dr. Dickson," said Dr. Murray. "As many tau-driven disorders such as PSP, FTD, and CBD remain understudied, the RCF's commitment to initiatives like the Rainwater Prize is essential in accelerating future therapeutic innovations where there are critical gaps."

"Receiving this prestigious prize in collaboration with Dr. Murray is both meaningful and motivating," said Dr. Dickson. "We are eager to utilize these funds in hopes of advancing efforts to slow and ultimately stop the progression of tau-related diseases."

Rainwater Prize for Innovative Early-Career Scientist: Dr. Marc Aurel Busche, Professor of Dementia and Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Basel & Programme Leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute at University College London

Dr. Busche's findings have meaningfully contributed to advancing understanding of tauopathies through innovative in vivo methodologies. He and his lab identified soluble, high-molecular-weight (HMW) tau as a primary determinant of neuronal dysfunction preceding neurodegeneration, a window in which future targeted interventions could potentially transform the management of primary tauopathies. This discovery suggests that symptoms stem not only from irreversible neuronal loss but also from potentially reversible neuronal dysfunction driven by HMW tau.

"Neurodegenerative disease research is moving rapidly, as we identify more diagnostic markers and shed new light on the biological drivers of these diseases," said Dr. Busche. "It is an honor to be recognized by the RCF, and my lab and I look forward to establishing an open data platform linking different tau species characteristics with their effects on brain activity to accelerate collective progress toward meaningful treatments."

For more information on the 2026 Rainwater Prize winners, please visit www.rainwaterprize.org. 

About the Rainwater Charitable Foundation's Medical Research
The Rainwater Charitable Foundation (RCF) was created in the early 1990s by Richard E. Rainwater, the late private equity investor and philanthropist. When Richard was diagnosed with a rare neurodegenerative disease and primary tauopathy called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), the RCF expanded its mission to accelerate the development of new diagnostics and treatments for tau-related neurodegenerative disorders. The RCF Medical Research Team support this focus by managing the Tau Consortium, the Rainwater Prize, and the Tauopathy Challenge Workshop. With over $165 million invested in medical research to date, the RCF has helped to advance eight treatments into human trials. Currently the RCF supports a range of programs, including a focus on family economic security, medical research, and other initiatives that drive positive change. For more information, please visit rainwatercharitablefoundation.org.

Corporate Contact:
Ryan Kober
The Rainwater Charitable Foundation
[email protected]
+1 (817) 820-2761 

Media Contact:
Alex Thorson
Spectrum Science
[email protected]
+1 (202) 587-2531

SOURCE The Rainwater Charitable Foundation