Program Directors and Managers

Program Directors oversee the research activities in one or more parts of the Institute's research funding program, managing a portfolio of grants and contracts and coordinating program efforts in these specifically defined areas of neuroscience research. Please reach out to individual Program Directors for more information about specific opportunities.

Use the quick search below to find your program director based on your research keywords.

Program Director/Program Manager Portfolios
Mariam M. Afzal B.A.

Portfolio: NINDS Stroke Network (NIH StrokeNet); StrokeNet Thrombectomy Endovascular Platform (STEP); Clinical trials and epidemiology studies in treatment, recovery, and prevention of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke; Data and Safety Monitoring Boards. 
 

Ramachandran Arudchandran Ph.D.

HEAL Biomarker Program

Taryn Aubrecht Ph.D.

Portfolio: Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) 

Keywords: Clinical tools, Research tools, Biomarkers

Hibah O. Awwad Ph.D.

Basic and translational studies that relate to traumatic brain injury (TBI); cognitive/emotional domains affected by TBI; TBI-related dementia including Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), human subject research studies on pediatric TBI as well as TBI-related global health

Additional keywords: Brain trauma, damage, and cortical impact; concussion; repetitive head injury; pre-clinical (animal models); diffuse axonal injury

Debra Babcock M.D., Ph.D.

Basic and translational aspects of behavior and cognitive neuroscience; CNS plasticity; Lewy Body Dementia; neuroimaging development (disease-agnostic)    

Additional Keywords: Normal adult learning and memory, spatial orientation, cognitive functions, circuits, connectomics; PET ligand development; MR imaging sequence development; improved methods for imaging the neurovasculature (e.g., MRA); Parkinson’s Disease dementia; dementia with Lewy Bodies

Julia Bachman Ph.D.

HEAL Initiative Early Translational Efforts; HEAL PRECISION Human Pain Network    

Additional Keywords: Animal models for pain

Linda Bambrick Ph.D.

Responses to spinal cord injury or peripheral nerve injury, including axonal regeneration; interventions to promote recovery and/or restore function    

Additional Keywords: Peripheral nerve crush and regeneration; degenerative cervical myelopathy

Richard T. Benson M.D., Ph.D.

Portfolio: Global Health and Health Disparities

Additional Keywords: Vascular neurology, clinical trials, epidemiology, global health, health disparities 

Francesca Bosetti Ph.D., Pharm.D.

Ischemic stroke, Cerebroprotection, Ischemic stroke animal models, primary and secondary stroke injury, post-stroke cognitive impairment, Ischemic stroke genetics.

Additional keywords: Ischemic brain injury, white matter injury, Ischemic preconditioning and postconditioning, cerebrovascular protection, plasticity and repair after ischemic stroke; stroke comorbidities

Chris Boshoff Ph.D.

Cooperative Research to enable and Advance Translational Enterprises (CREATE), Preclinical Neurotherapeutic Biologics Development

Jeremy Brown M.D.

Portfolio: All aspects of emergency care research. NIH SIREN emergency care research network and clinical studies in adult and pediatric emergency neurology. Shared Interests: Traumatic brain injury, acute interventions for epilepsy, migraine and stroke. Exploratory and Efficacy clinical trials.

Emily Caporello Ph.D.

Small Business funding (SBIR/STTR) for neurological disorders and pain; product development; translational and clinical research; neurotechnology

Daofen Chen Ph.D.

Motor control and learning; device-based or behavioral interventions for movement disorders, stroke, and cerebral palsy; neural rehabilitation    
 

Sophie (Hyun Joo) Cho M.D.

Portfolio: Network for Excellence in Neuroscience Clinical Trials (NeuroNext). Clinical trials and studies in movement disorders, including Parkinson disease, dystonia, tremor, myoclonus, tic disorders. Clinical applications of neuromodulation, including deep brain stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and other non-invasive brain stimulation. Clinical applications of therapeutic neurotoxins. 

Other Research Interests: Clinical and translational research in movement disorders and neurodegenerative disease; non-invasive brain stimulation; neurotoxins and related therapies; functional neurological disorders

Ben Churn Ph.D.

Acquired epilepsies (with focus on circuit mechanisms, seizure initiation, seizure detection, seizure prediction); comorbidities and co-occurring conditions such as aging: cognitive impairments, intellectual disability (ID), post-traumatic epilepsy, stroke-induced seizures, seizures in aging and development; Refractory seizures and Status Epilepticus; basic research on synaptic transmission and plasticity, dendritic remodeling.

Additional Keywords: Learning and memory; glutamatergic and GABAergic signaling

Devon Crawford Ph.D.

Education and other projects related to improving research quality

Additional keywords: rigor, transparency, reproducibility, replicability, research quality, research methodology, education, culture change, rigor icons, rigor champions

Adi Cymerblit Sabba Ph.D.

Portfolio: NIH NeuroBioBank (human brain tissue banking)  
 

Charles Cywin Ph.D.

Portfolio: Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network (BPN) Program and HEAL Optimization of Non-addictive Therapies [Small Molecules and Biologics] to Treat Pain 
 
Shared Interests: Translational research and development across all clusters and programs, Medicinal Chemistry and small molecule drug discovery and development

William P. Daley Ph.D.

HIV-associated neurological disorders, infectious diseases of the nervous system, neurovirology, and Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies HIV-associated neurological disorders, infectious diseases of the nervous system, neurovirology, and Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease and other transmissible spongiform encephalopathies    

Additional Keywords: Neuroinfectious diseases; viral (HIV, HSV, ZIKV, SARS-CoV-2), bacterial, parasitic, and fungal CNS infection; prion-related disorders; Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE); Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD); Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE); NeuroAIDS

Karen David Ph.D.

BRAIN Integrated Approaches/Circuits Research Project Grants (R34, R01) and Team-research BRAIN Circuit Programs (U01,U19 ); NINDS Collaborative Opportunities for Multidisciplinary, Bold, and Innovative Neuroscience (COMBINE) (RM1); team science; non-traditional experimental systems 

Additional keywords: Integrative function of brain circuits; basic systems neuroscience; team science;  non-traditional experimental systems 

Neel Dhruv Ph.D.

Portfolio: NINDS-wide mechanistic, translational and clinical studies that relate to the neural exposome. 

Keywords: NINDS-wideneural exposome

Argenia Doss Ph.D.

Portfolio: Trans-NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN)

Additional Keywords: Rare and undiagnosed diseases

Carlos Faraco Ph.D.

Portfolio: NIH StrokeNetwork (NIH StrokeNet); NIH Early Phase Pain Investigation Clinical Network (EPPIC-Net); Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities; Atherosclerotic and idiopathic intracranial cerebrovascular disease; Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementias (AD/ADRDs); Postmortem imaging and neuropathology; Data and Safety Monitoring Boards (DSMBs)

Nicole M. Farhat R.N., M.S., C.R.N.P.

Portfolio: Pediatric clinical trials and epidemiology studies, pediatric rare diseases

Jessica C Forbes CCC-SLP; Ph.D
Jane Fountain Ph.D.

Primary brain tumor (pediatric and young adult) 

Additional Keywords: Immunotherapy, immunosuppression, and viral therapy; brain tumor metabolism and RNA biology; medulloblastoma; diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG)

Megan Frankowski Ph.D.

Portfolio: Neurotechnology development and translation of stimulation & recording medical devices for neurodegenerative disorders (e.g., movement disorders, memory disorders) and neuropsychiatric disorders within these programsBRAIN (Neural Recording and Modulation), BRAIN (Therapeutic Human Neuroscience), NINDS (Translational Neural Devices), Blueprint MedTech

Keywords: Deep Brain Stimulation, Neuromodulation, Neuroimaging 

Lauren G. Friedman Ph.D.

Portfolio: Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network for Biologics (BPN Biologics) Program

Hermon R. Gebrehiwet DrPH , CCRP

Portfolio: Research Opportunities in Humans; BRAIN Initiative

Additional Keywords: Human neuroscience

Annette Gilchrist Ph.D.

Portfolio: Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) applications

Keywords: drug discovery, high throughput screening, functional/cell-based screening assays, blood brain barrier, PK/PD, peptide delivery, antibody/nanobody agents, novel biologic modalities, cell/gene therapies

Thomas N. Greenwell PhD

Basic, preclinical, and clinical research in pain; peripheral and central mechanisms, pathways, circuits and processing of pain  

Additional Keywords: Pain: chronic, acute, neuropathic, preclinical models, management; sensory neuron and ganglia; nociceptor, nociceptive, analgesia, analgesic, hyperalgesia

Brooks Gross Ph.D.

Portfolio: Neurotechnology development and translation with an emphasis on epilepsy, neurotraumatic injuries (e.g., spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury), neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., ALS, MS), cognition, sleep, and neurorehabilitation within these programs: NINDS (Translational Neural Devices), Blueprint MedTech, BRAIN (Neural Recording and Modulation), BRAIN (Therapeutic Human Neuroscience), SPARC (HORNET)

Keywords: Neuromodulation, Neuroimaging, Neural Interfaces, Invasive and Non-invasive Therapeutic and Diagnostic Medical Devices

Amelie Gubitz Ph.D.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS), Progressive Muscular Atrophy (PMA), ALS-Frontotemporal Degeneration (ALS-FTD)    

Additional Keywords: Accelerating Medicines Partnership for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (AMP-ALS); SOD1, FUS, TDP-43, C9orf72, TBK1; skeletal muscle; motor neuron; axon degeneration and autophagy; motor neuron death

Kristina Hardy Ph.D.

Portfolio: Clinical trials and epidemiology studies related to neurodevelopment in the context of pediatric neurological disorders and disease impacting the central nervous system. In addition, human studies involving autistic individuals, particularly those examining sensory or sensory-motor functioning, pain, and sleep, or co-occurring with other medical conditions such as epilepsy. 

Other research interests: Neurocognitive and neurodevelopmental assessment in clinical studies of rare disorders, Neurocognitive intervention research in the context of neurologic disease.

Adam Hartman M.D.

Portfolio: Clinical trials and epidemiology studies related to pediatric neurology, including epilepsy, neonatal/pediatric stroke, neuromuscular disorders, head trauma, cerebral palsy prevention, headache, hydrocephalus, neurological manifestations of genetic disorders (including mitochondrial diseases), neuroimmunological disorders/infections, and other areas. 

Other Research Interests: Rare diseases & movement disorders

Janet He Ph.D.

CNS and homeostatic regulation of sleep and circadian rhythms; sleep in neurological disorders; neuroendocrine systems    

Additional Keywords: Entrainment, arousal, and thermoregulation; neuroendocrine systems; sleep disorders (REM, non-REM, hypersomnia, narcolepsy); Restless Legs Syndrome; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus

Rebecca Hommer M.D.

EPPIC-Net, HEAL Initiative, Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID), and Pediatric Research

Nina Hsu Ph.D.

Portfolio: Neuroethics, Bioethics

Eric Hudak Ph.D.

Portfolio: Neurotechnology development and translation for pain, migraine, neuralgia, and headache within these programs: NINDS (Translational Neural Devices), Blueprint MedTech, BRAIN (Therapeutic Human Neuroscience), HEAL (Translating Discoveries into Effective Devices to Treat Pain), SPARC (HORNET)

Keywords: neuroprosthesis, neural engineering, neuromodulation, neural interfaces, open-source technology, electrochemistry, implantable materials, therapeutic and diagnostic medical devices

Grace M. Hwang Ph.D.

BRAIN Initiative New Technologies (R01, RF1); BRAIN Initiative Optimization (U01)    

Additional Keywords: Bioengineering, biosensing, brain-inspired AI, brain-machine interfaces, electrode development, microelectrode array, neuromodulation technologies, neural stimulation/recording devices, neuroimaging, neural interfaces, neural probe, nanotechnology, neuromorphic devices for brain health, organoid-based neurotechnologies, robotics-assisted neurotechnologies, ultrasound-based neuroimaging/stimulation

Smriti Iyengar Ph.D.

Portfolio: HEAL Initiative - Preclinical Screening Platform for Pain program, and Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program.

Keywords: Translational studies, enhance clinical development, novel therapies for pain, epilepsy, neurological disorders.

Scott Janis Ph.D.

Portfolio: NINDS Stroke Network (NIH StrokeNet). Clinical trials and epidemiology studies in treatment, recovery, and prevention of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke; trans-ischemic attacks; cryptogenic strokes, brain stem strokes, neuroimaging and stroke; stroke rehabilitation and pediatric stroke. 

Other interests: Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID and other AD/ADRD clinical trials)

David Jett Ph.D.

Portfolio: NINDS-wide mechanistic, translational and clinical studies relate to the neural exposome, neurotoxicology, chemical threats, and chemical safety

Keywords: NINDS-wideneural exposome; neurotoxicology; chemical threats, chemical safety

 

Kari Johnson Ph.D.

BRAIN CONNECTS Program; neurotechnology development; interdisciplinary neuroscience   

Additional Keywords: Neural circuit mapping; connectivity and connectomics; cell types; neuroimaging; team science; training and career development

Brian Klein Ph.D.

Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program (ETSP), Preclinical Pharmacology, Animal Models. Preclinical Neurotherapeutic Development

Svetlana Kotliarova Ph.D.

Primary brain tumor (adult, pediatric, and young adult)

Additional keywords: Immunotherapy and immunosuppression; viral therapy; glioma stem cell biology; glioblastoma; medulloblastoma; diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG)

Doe W. Kumsa PhD

Neural interface technologies that record, modulate, or stimulate neural activity; novel biomaterials for repair and neural interface devices; bioengineering applied to the nervous system (including development of hardware, software, and computational techniques)
 

Additional keywords: Brain computer interfaces (BCI), neural and nerve interfaces; electrode development; microelectrode array; closed-loop deep brain stimulation (DBS); electrochemical sensors; brain implants; neural probe; nanotechnology; peripheral nerve injury


 

Nicholas Langhals Ph.D.

Translational Neural Devices; Neural engineering with emphases in neuroprostheses, neuromodulation, brain-computer interface (BCI) devices, prosthetic control, and neural interface technology development

Timothy LaVaute Ph.D.

Neurogenesis and progenitor cell biology in nervous system, stem cell applications for therapy development; therapeutic genome editing; tissue engineering; dendritic growth and plasticity 

Crystal A. Lee Ph.D.

Areas of Interest: Developmental neuroscience, neural epigenetics, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Fragile X Syndrome, Neurofibromatosis 1 and 2, Schwannomatosis 

Additional Keywords: motor neuron development, cerebellum development, higher order chromatin structures, miRNA, Noonan Syndrome 

Miriam Leenders Ph.D.

Acquired epilepsies (with focus on epilepsies with immunological or infectious etiology); epilepsy prevention strategies, disease modifying interventions, and cell replacement therapies; comorbidities and co-occurring conditions: auto-immune, viral, psychiatric and hormonal; Lafora Disease; temporal lobe epilepsy; basic research on synapse formation; tripartite synapse; metabolism in synaptic formation

Additional Keywords: Neurogenesis; neuroinflammation; Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE); synaptic  development; synaptogenesis; intracellular synaptic signaling related to synapse development and formation; synapse regulation by astrocyte/glia

Dina M Lyon MS, RN

Portfolio: Neuromuscular diseases including ALS, Expanded Access, ALS Consortium, DSMBs

Marguerite Matthews Ph.D.
Amber McCartney Ph.D.

Portfolio: Alzheimer's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias (AD/ADRD)    
 

Linda McGavern Ph.D.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), Limbic-predominant Age-related TDP-43 Encephalopathy (LATE), and Multiple Etiology Dementia (MED)    

Additional Keywords: APP, presenilins, beta-amyloid, ApoE; tauopathies; Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias (ADRD) co-pathologies (e.g., tau, alpha-synuclein, TDP-43, TMEM106B, vascular)

Carolina Mendoza-Puccini M.D.

Portfolio: Common Data Elements (CDE)/ Data Standards, Digital Health Technology, Real World Data, AD/ADRD, Clinical Trials Readiness Project, Data Archiving, Intramural Monitoring, NIH Data Management and Sharing Policy (including GDPR), Clinical Trials/ Human Subjects. 

 

Daniel Miller Ph.D.

Huntington's Disease; invertebrate NMJ development, structure, and function; NIH NeuroBioBank (human brain tissue banking)  

Additional Keywords: Human brain single cell omics

D.P. Mohapatra Ph.D.

Translational mechanistic pain research; itch, peripheral somatosensation, and glia/neuroimmune biology (non-pain); HEAL Initiative    

Additional Keywords: Pain: chronic, acute, neuropathic, preclinical models, management; sensory neuron and ganglia; nociceptor, nociceptive, analgesia, analgesic, hyperalgesia; thermosensation

Jill Morris Ph.D.

Technology development for gene-targeted therapies; hydrocephalus and normal pressure hydrocephalus, neural tube defects (spina bifida); various rare diseases including inborn errors of metabolism, lysosomal storage disorders, leukodystrophies, brain iron accumulation disorders (NBIA), copper metabolism disorders, congenital disorders of glycosylation, mitochondrial disorders, and peroxisomal disorders), pediatric genetic vasculopathies, Ataxia Telangiectasia and basic studies on ATM mutation related DNA damage and DNA repair.


Additional Keywords: Lesch-Nyhan Disease; Phenylketonuria (PKU) Deficiency; Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome; Wilson’s disease; Menkes; adult-onset leukoencephalopathy; adrenoleukodystrophy; Aicardi Goutieres syndrome; Alexander’s disease; Canavan; Krabbe; metachromatic leukodystrophy; Pelizaeus-Mezbacher; vanishing white matter disease

Glen Nuckolls Ph.D.

Muscular dystrophies; spinal muscular atrophy and inherited peripheral neuropathies (e.g. Charcot-Marie-Tooth, giant axonal neuropathy, familial dysautonomia) and inflammatory or autoimmune peripheral neuropathies (e.g. myasthenia gravis, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy); diabetic- and chemotherapy induced-peripheral neuropathies    

Additional Keywords: SMN, SMARD, DUX4, dystrophin, PMP22, gigaxonin; Duchenne, limb-girdle, congenital, facioscapulohumeral, oculopharngeal, myotonic dystrophy; Cajal Bodies; slow channel syndrome; inherited peripheral sensory and/or motor neuropathies; acquired peripheral neuropathies; acute flaccid myelitis (AFM); demyelination/remyelination in the PNS

Joan Ohayon RN, MSN, CRNP, MSCN

Portfolio: Portfolio: Network for Excellence in Neuroscience Clinical Trials (NeuroNEXT): Early phase clinical trials and biomarker studies preparatory to phase III clinical trials in neurological disorders, Data and Safety Monitoring Boards

Leslie C. Osborne Ph.D.

Sensory and multi-sensory systems, cortical and thalamic circuits, integrative function of brain circuits, sensorimotor integration, computational neuroscience, and Collaborative Research in Computational Neuroscience (CRCNS), Smart and Connected Health (SCH)    

Additional Keywords: Interoception-CNS interactions

Michael Oshinsky Ph.D.

Migraine and other headache disorders; trigeminal pain; HEAL Initiative  

Additional Keywords: Headache: chronic, acute, preclinical pain models, pain management, neuropathic trigeminal pain, Trigeminal ganglia

Mary Ann Pelleymounter Ph.D.

Portfolio: Pain Therapeutics Development Program (PTDP)/HEAL Optimization of Non-Addictive Therapies [Small Molecules and Biologics] to Treat Pain 

Keywords: Pain Therapeutics Development, Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Program, in vivo pharmacology, biomarker development and validation, and behavioral neuroscience
 

Rebecca Price Ph.D.

Portfolio: NINDS Biorepository (BioSEND); NINDS Human Cell and Data Repository (NHCDR); NINDS Biospecimen Resource Access Committees (BRACs)  

Additional Keywords: Fibroblast; cell lines; IPSC

Michele L. Pucak

BRAIN Initiative Neurotechnology Development Program

Additional keywords: Neural stimulation/recording devices; neuroimaging; integrative function of brain circuits; basic systems neuroscience

Srikanth Ranganathan Ph.D.

Spinocerebellar Ataxias (SCAs), Friedreich’s Ataxia (FRDA/FA), Spinal and Bulbar Muscular Atrophy (SBMA), Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias (HSPs); Cell death mechanisms relevant to neurodegenerative disorders and not due to ischemia per se; Basic Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration including Mitochondrial / ER / Calcium homeostasis, RNA biology and protein turnover; Neuromuscular Junction Biology (vertebrate)    

Additional Keywords: Ataxins, spastins, frataxin, and androgen receptors; Purkinje cells, cortical projection neurons, motor neurons, and skeletal muscles; basic mechanisms of neurodegeneration (axonal biology; bioenergetics; metabolism; oxidative and ER stress; autophagy; DNA repair; RNA biology)

Yogendra Raol Ph.D.

Portfolio: Epilepsy Therapy Screening Program (ETSP), translational and basic science research studies that relate to seizures and epilepsy

Keywords: Epilepsy, seizures, neuropharmacology, animal models

K. Paul Rezaizadeh Ph.D.

Career Development Awards (K02, K08, K22, K23), Institutional Training Grants (T32), and Support for Scientific Conferences (R13/U13).

Matthew Warner Rice Ph.D.

Portfolio: Management of pre-clinical drug discovery programs to facilitate therapeutic development of non-addictive pain medications.

Keywords: Management of pre-clinical drug discovery programs to facilitate therapeutic development of non-addictive pain medications.

Robert Riddle Ph.D.

Early pattern formation; cortical, cerebellar, midbrain, and hindbrain development; chromatin structure and function in the nervous system; epigenetic mechanisms; development and use of animal model systems; Joubert and Dandy-Walker Syndrome; Chiari Malformations; Down Syndrome and diseases related to intellectual developmental disorders; Fragile X Tremor Ataxia (FXTAS)    

Additional Keywords: Developmental neuroscience, early CNS pattern formation; cell fate determination; stem cells related to cerebellum; neural epigenetics, higher order chromatin structures, miRNA; animal models and animal model resources; Intellectual Disability; Intellectual and Developmental Disorders (IDD); cognition-related disorders, Klinefelter’s Syndrome, Turner’s Syndrome; developmental disorders of the cortex, dysplasia, microcephaly, lissencephaly; Pitt Hopkins; hypothalamic and pituitary development; music and health; birth defects related to neural development disorders

Rebecca Roof Ph.D.

Portfolio: Innovation Grants to Nurture Initial Translational Efforts (IGNITE). Early-stage therapy development to include assay development, therapeutic screening, early-stage therapeutic characterization, pre-clinical efficacy testing, and development of translationally relevant animal models for disease.
 

Cheryse A. Sankar Ph.D.

Health Disparities in Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Shireen A. Sarraf Ph.D.

Structural, biochemical, molecular, and cellular aspects of Parkinson's disease (PD) and Lewy body dementia (LBD) as it relates to alpha-synuclein structure, mitochondrial biology, and lysosomal function; role of environmental factors in the etiology of synucleinopathies; basic studies of protein quality control (mitochondrial and lysosomal dysfunction, protein aggregation, mitophagy, autophagy) in the pathogenesis of PD and LBD    

Additional Keywords: Glucocerebrosidase, GBA; lipid biology; oxidative stress; reactive oxygen species; synuclein structural biology; environment; PINK1; Parkin; DJ1

Lumy Sawaki-Adams M.D., Ph.D.

Portfolio: NeuroCOVID/NeuroPASC, RECOVER initiative, ALS Expanded Access and ALS Consortium. Safety and Risk Assessment (SARAC). 

Other research interests: Clinical trials and human subjects research in neurorehabilitation, neuroimaging, neuromodulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcutaneous spinal stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation and devices.

Gretchen C. Scott B.S, B.S.N., R.N.

Portfolio: Strategies to Innovate EmeRgENcy Care Clinical Trials Network (SIREN): SIREN infrastructure and clinical trial operations, executive oversight board liaison, clinical trial accrual monitoring, human subjects protection, and data management & sharing. Clinical trials and studies in neurosurgical-related disorders and treatment, including subdural hematoma and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Data Safety and Monitoring Boards. 

Other research interests: Acute neurologic events, interventions, devices, and technology; Neurosurgical and pharmacologic treatment in emergency/critical care settings; Clinical research outcome measures / data management systems; Research ethics and informed consent practices.

Frank Shewmaker Ph.D.

Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD), Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA)    

Additional Keywords: MAPT, tau, FUS, TAF15, TDP-43, C9orf72, proteinopathies, tauopathies, progranulin, PGRN, granulin, GRN, and TMEM106B, amyloid structural biology, biomolecular condensates, and liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS).

Beth-Anne Sieber Ph.D.

Synucleinopathies, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), multiple system atrophy, and Lewy body dementias; preclinical and clinical studies evaluating cellular and molecular neurodegeneration, genetic, and other risk factors    

Additional Keywords: Functional neurobiology of genetic risk factors; gut-brain axis; microbiome; neuroimmune; neuroinflammation; mood, cognitive dysfunction; LRRK2; synuclein transmission; deep brain stimulation

Shardell M. Spriggs Ph.D.

Neural Exposome, Refractory Epilepsy, Chemical Threats, and Dual use Research of Concern (DURC) 

Sudha Srinivasan Ph.D, M.P.H.
Christine Swanson-Fischer Ph.D.

Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Lewy Body Dementias (LBD), and related synucleinopathies focusing on biomarker discovery and validation, omics-based approaches, clinical genetics, epidemiology, and natural history studies    

Additional Keywords: Human genetics; proteomics; transcriptomics; PDBP; AMP PD; AMP PDRD

Elizabeth I. Sypek Ph.D.

Portfolio: HEAL Initiative; HEAL Training and Workforce programs; pain    

 

Edmund Talley Ph.D.

BRAIN Initiative Neurotechnology Development Program, BRAIN CONNECTS Program

Additional Keywords: Neural stimulation/recording devices, neuroimaging, bioengineering, synaptic transmission, optical and optogenetics methods for recording and modulating neural activity

Carol Taylor-Burds Ph.D.

Portfolio: Clinical biomarker development and validation studies for translation and implementation into clinical trials for therapeutic development or patient care. Development and validation of “digital” biomarkers and clinical outcome assessments derived from digital health technologies for remote monitoring in clinical trials. 

Keywords: translational biomarkers (diagnostic, prognostic, monitoring, pharmacodynamic/response, predictive, safety), composite biomarkers, digital biomarkers, digital health technology derived assessments, digital health technology derived clinical outcome assessments, clinical biomarker research. 

Natalie Trzcinski Ph.D.

BRAIN Initiative Research Resource Grants for Technology Integration and Dissemination (U24)
 

Amy Y. Tsou M.D., M.Sc.

Portfolio: Neuromuscular diseases including ALS, neuroethics  

William Tyler Ph.D.

General glial biology; oligodendrocyte and Schwann cell development, function and myelination; basic astrocyte biology; neuronal polarity and migration; axon guidance; neurotrophic factors & associated signaling mechanisms in normal neurodevelopment; transcriptional regulation & gene expression in neurons; mechanisms of RNA transport and local translation in axons or dendrites; Angelman Syndrome

Additional keywords: astrocytes; neurite outgrowth; neural cell migration; neuron-glia interactions

Lauren Ullrich Ph.D.
George Umanah Ph.D.

Molecular structure, function, and regulation of ion channels, transporters, and pumps; channelopathy; mitochondria and mTORopathy mediated epileptic spasms and structural epilepsies; identifying novel genes, biomarkers, Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence tools, and early-stage therapeutic research (mechanism-of-action of compounds and ligands) for the epilepsies and other neuronal disorders.

Additional Keywords: Epilepsy therapeutics; machine learning & artificial intelligence for Epilepsy, structural biology; protein biochemistry and protein-protein interactions

Nsini Umoh Ph.D.

Preclinical and clinical studies that relate to traumatic brain injury (TBI); cognitive/emotional domains affected by TBI; TBI-related dementia including Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

Additional keywords: Brain trauma, damage, and cortical impact; concussion; repetitive head injury; clinical (human) and preclinical; diffuse axonal injury

Ursula Utz Ph.D., MBA

Multiple sclerosis and related disorders (including animal models thereof), studies on CNS demyelination and repair    

Additional Keywords: Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO); MOG antibody-associated disorders (MOGAD); NMDAR encephalitis; MS animal models (e.g. experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), cuprizone, TMEV); demyelination/remyelination in the CNS

Letitia Weigand Ph.D.

Portfolio: Fellowships (F), Career Development Awards (K), Institutional Training Programs (T32), Research Education Programs (R25), UE5 for Residents and Fellows, Child Neurology Research Career Development Program (K12), Neurosurgeon Research Career Development Program (K12), Emergency Medicine Research Career Development Program in the Neurological Sciences (K12), Research Enhancement Awards (R15), NIH Loan Repayment Program (LRP), Administrative Supplements to Promote Research Continuity and Retention of NIH Mentored Career Development (K) Award Recipients, Research Supplements to Promote Re-Entry and Re-Integration into Health-Related Research Careers, Administrative Supplements to Promote Research Continuity and Retention of NIH First Time Recipients of NIH Research Project Grant (R) Awards

Additional Key Words: Training, Career Development, K Award, Fellowship, Loan Repayment Program, Research Education, Graduate Student, Postdoctoral Fellowship

Vicky Whittemore Ph.D.

Genetic epilepsies (excluding sodium, calcium and potassium channelopathies) ; metabolic epilepsy; sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP); clinical epilepsy research; myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS); fatigue; alternating hemiplegia of children; epilepsy data science and data sharing

Additional Keywords: Epilepsy comorbidities and biomarkers; epilepsies and dementia/aging or pregnancy; CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder; Genetic epilepsies

Sarah Woller Ph.D.

Portfolio: Preclinical Screening Platform for Pain, NIH HEAL Initiative

Guangying Wu Ph.D.

Portfolio: Neurotechnology development and translation forbrain-computer interfaces (BCI), brain-machine Interfaces (BMI), sensory and motor prostheses, limb loss, and neuro-interventional technologies, within these programs: NINDS (Translational Neural Devices), Blueprint MedTech, BRAIN (Neural Recording and Modulation), BRAIN (Therapeutic Human Neuroscience).

Keywords: Neuromodulation, Neuroimaging, Neural Interfaces, Therapeutic and Diagnostic Medical Devices, Deep Brain Stimulation, Neurodiagnostic, Neuroprosthesis, Neuroprostheses, Neuroprosthetics

Xiling Yin M.D., Ph.D.

Portfolio: Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID), for example Vascular Cognitive Impairment (VCI), Vascular Dementia (VaD), Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA), and CADASIL

Additional keywords: Small cerebral vessel diseases (e.g. atherosclerosis, arteriolosclerosis); post-stroke VCID; multi-infarct dementia; TBI with vascular lesions that lead to dementia; heart failure related to cognitive decline; cardiovascular and cerebrovascular dysfunction; anti-beta-amyloid immunotherapy