The Colleen Giblin Research Laboratories for Child Neurology

Location and Contact Information

Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S)
630 West 168 Street, Room 5-443
New York, NY 10032
United States

Principal Investigator

  • Profile Headshot
    • Member, Motor Neuron Center
    • Member, Columbia Translational Neuroscience Initiative
    • Affiliate Member - Zuckerman Institute

The Colleen Giblin Research Laboratories for Child Neurology, a unique training and scientific resource, and the Giblin Foundation, were established in 1985 by the Giblin family in memory of Colleen, their daughter, who succumbed to a brain tumor.

Researchers from around the world are invited to participate in the work of the Laboratories and are encouraged to tackle virtually all areas of neurological disease using the latest advances in molecular and cellular biology and genetics. Former trainees and associates have developed similar research enterprises in the U.S. and other countries modeled after the Giblin Laboratories. The annual Colleen Giblin Award and Lecture Series provide additional opportunities for interaction with prestigious visiting researchers of international renown.

Research is supported by the Colleen Giblin Foundation, the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, patients, families and many generous benefactors whose constant support make our endeavors possible.

Mission Statement

The Colleen Giblin Research Laboratories are committed to conducting the highest level of molecular and cellular research using the latest advances in molecular and cellular biology and genetics. The Laboratories serve as a forum where physicians and scientists from around the world can combine their efforts to study, and ultimately diagnose and treat, diseases of the developing nervous and muscular systems. Patients and their families are given the opportunity to participate in research on a cellular and clinical level so that advances can be made in understanding the etiology and clinical course of particular disease pathways. Through a combination of laboratory studies, natural history studies, and therapeutic trials, the goal of the Colleen Giblin Research Laboratories is to provide a scientific foundation for ultimately finding more effective treatments and preventive therapies for children.

Lab Members

  • Kristin Engelstad, MS, CGC

    • Lecturer in Genetic Counseling (in Neurology) at the Columbia University Medical Center
    Kristin Engelstad
  • Maoxue Tang, PhD

    • Associate Research Scientist in the Department of Neurology
    Maoxue Tang, PhD