Austin’s Purpose was founded in 2015 to raise funds for research into epilepsy-related mutations in the GRIN2A gene. To date, Austin’s Purpose has raised $65,000 for the labs of Dr. Stephen Traynelis of Emory University and Dr. Hiro Furukawa of Cold Spring Harbor Lab. CureGRIN has committed to continue to fund GRIN Disorder research at these organizations through at least 2022.

Here’s what Austin’s Purpose Co-Founders Paul and Awilda Wasielewski had to say about joining forces with CureGRIN.

“We’re stronger together. Watching the GRIN community grow and the path that CureGRIN is on, we wanted to join forces and become one. Together we’ll be able to do so much to support families and assist researchers around the world.”

Paul has joined CureGRIN’s board of directors, which now includes parents of children with mutations in each of the known pathogenic genes for single-gene GRIN Disorders: GRIN1, GRIN2A, GRIN2B, and GRIN2D.

Until the merger is finalized, all donations raised by Austin’s Purpose will be transferred to CureGRIN’s research investment fund. After the merger takes place, CureGRIN will raise funds under both the CureGRIN and Austin’s Purpose banners.

Austin’s Purpose was set up in honor of Paul and Awilda’s 16-year-old son Austin Wasielewski, who was born with a rare variant in his GRIN2A gene.

Visit Austin’s Purpose page to learn more.