Movement disorder circuitry including anatomy, neurophysiology, connectivity, dyskinesias, gait/falls, and deep brain stimulation (DBS); molecular and clinical studies of dystonias including focal and generalized dystonias and X-linked dystonia parkinsonism (XDP); preclinical and clinical studies of essential tremor, Tourette's, and functional neurologic disorder.
Kalynda Gonzales Stokes, PhD, is a program director in the Movement Disorders & Neurodegeneration cluster within the Division of Neuroscience at NINDS. She oversees research grants on circuits implicated in movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, dystonia, essential tremor, functional neurologic disorder, and Tourette's syndrome, spanning both preclinical and clinical studies. Dr. Gonzales Stokes previously handled training grants at NIGMS, supporting large-scale educational initiatives, postdoctoral fellowships, and Tribal biomedical research communities, alongside cell biology research on endocytosis and the endo-lysosomal network. Her earlier roles at NINDS and the BRAIN Initiative involved managing neural engineering programs dedicated to advancing brain recording and stimulation technologies.
Dr. Gonzales Stokes received her B.S. in Biology from the University of Massachusetts and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Emory University, where she investigated basal ganglia circuit dysfunction and explored therapeutic approaches --including pharmacological treatments and deep brain stimulation --for Parkinson's disease. Her postdoctoral research at Columbia University and Florida International University examined neuronal degeneration associated with environmentally induced parkinsonism caused by metal toxicity, specifically manganese. Alongside her scientific pursuits, she possesses clinical experience in nursing and physical therapy and has actively advocated for increased resources supporting Parkinson's patients through nonprofit organizations.