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Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences
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Research Focus

Research Areas

Please fell free to search our researcher database to find a researcher active in a specific field.

Researcher NameResearch FocusKeywordsLaboratories / Institutes
Alyssa Aguirre
Alyssa Aguire
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease
• Caregiver Mental Health
• Aging and Clinical Social Work
• Community Engagement Research

Technology & Drugs Development
• Artificial Intelligence and Identifying Caregiver Needs
• Outcomes Research
Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Disorders /
Patient centered outcomes /
Geriatric Mental Health /
Caregiver Support /
Interprofessional Teams /
Artificial Intelligence
COPE Lab
Adrienne Dula
Adrienne Dula
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Neurotrauma
• Stroke
• Imaging
Medical Imaging /
Neurology /
Magnetic Resonance Imaging /
Sex Differences
Andrew Gaudet
Andrew Gaudet
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Neuroinflammation
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Biological Clocks
• Mood- and Anxiety-like Disorders
Neuroscience /
Neuroinflammation /
Circadian Rhythms /
Behavioral Neuroscience
Gaudet Lab
Audrey Brumback
Audrey Brumback
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Neurodevelopment
• Autism
• Electrophysiology
• Optogenetics
Neurophysiology /
Neuroscience /
Animal Models /
Pediatrics
Brumback Lab
Audrey Duarte
Audrey Duarte
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Memory & Aging
• Neuroimaging
• Sleep
Cognitive Aging /
Episodic Memory /
EEG /
fMRI
Memory and Aging Lab
Benjamin Umlauf
Benjamin Umlauf
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Brain Tumor
• Neurological Disorders

Technology & Drugs Development
• Cancer Drug Therapy
• Delivery of Drugs to Solid Tumors
Preclinical Models/
Nanotechnology /
Biochemistry
Umlauf Lab
Bonnie Scott
Bonnie Scott
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Clinical neuropsychology
• Motivation and goal-directed behavior
• Cognitive control and intraindividual variability
• Resilience and normal cognitive aging
• Neuropsychiatric sequelae of movement disorders
• Neurosurgical candidacy evaluations
• Social determinants of health

Technology & Drugs Development
• Clinical and translational neuroscience
• Neurophysiological biomarkers and neuromodulation
• Neurocognitive biomarkers and technotherapy
• Community outreach and engagement in health disparity populations
• Cross-cultural and ecological validation of psychometric tools
Aging /
Alzheimer Disease & Related Disorders /
Neuropsychology /
Caitlin Orsini
Caitlin Orsini
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Decision Making
• Anxiety Disorders
• Substance Use Disorders
Drug addiction /
Genetics /
Protein Biomarkers /
Sex Differences
Orsini Lab
Charles Nemeroff
Charles Nemeroff
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Early Life Development
• Child Abuse and Neglect
• Mood Disorders
• Anxiety Disorders
• Psychopharmacology

Technology & Drugs Development
• Personalized Medicine in Psychiatry
Psychedelic Research Institute for Early Life Adversity Research
Corinne Jones
Corinne Jones
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Motor Learning
• Movement Disorders
• Neuromodulation
• Speech Production

Technology & Drugs Development
• Wearable Sensors
Swallowing /
Swallowing Disorders /
Neuromodulation
Swallow Modulation Lab
Cynthia Austin
Cynthia Austin
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
• Concussion/mTBI

Technology & Drugs Development
• Computerized Neuropsychological Assessment
• Telehealth Intervention
• Virtual Consultation

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Cognitive Remediation
• Family Problem Solving
• Brief Intervention
Pediatric Neuropsychology /
Targeted Neuropsychological Assessment /
Brain Injury
Daniel Freedman
Daniel Freedman
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Pediatric Neurology
• Pediatric Epilepsy
• Neurophysiology
• Psychogenic Nonepileptic Events
• Functional Neurological Disorder
Neuroscience /
Neuroinflammation
Dave Clarke
Dave Clark
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Pediatric Epilepsy
• Pediatric Neurology
• EEG
• Video-EEG
• Addressing health disparities and inequities in epilepsy
a. Primary care education/advocacy
b. Community engagement and outreach
c. Telehealth

Technology & Drugs Development
• Virtual access in epilepsy
a. Virtual clinics
b. Virtual screening tools/questionnaires
c. Neuropsychology
Epilepsy
David Paydarfar
David Paydarfar
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Neural Circuit Dysregulation
• Neural oscillators

Technology & Drugs Development
• Electroceuticals
• Machine Learning
• Physiological Sensors
• Optimization Algorithms

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Neuro Modulation and Plasticity
Neural Control of Respiratory,
Cardiovascular, &
Swallowing Function /
Neuroengineering /
Computational Neurology /
Machine Learning /
Physiological Sensors /
Electroceuticals/
Mathematical Modeling /
Physiological Sensors/
The Physiological Laboratories
Deborah Cohen
Deborah Cohen
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Youth Mental Healthcare
• Serious Mental Illness


Technology & Drugs Development
• Leveraging Electronic Health Records to Improve Care

Early serious mental illness /
Pathways to care /Family Involvement /
Young adult friendly services /
Coordination across systems
Duriel Hardy
Duriel Hardy
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Pediatric Neurology
• Pediatric Onset Multiple Sclerosis
• Pediatric Neuroinflammatory Disorders
• Adult Multiple Sclerosis and Related Neuroinflammatory Disorders
• Neuroimmunology Transition of Care
Elizabeth Lippard
Elisabeth Lippard
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Mood Disorders
• Bipolar Disorders
• Alcohol Use Disorders
• Depression,
• Neuroimaging
• Developmental neuroscience

Technology & Drugs Development
• Transdermal Alcohol Monitoring
Bipolar Disorder /
Stress
The Main Lab
Elizabeth C. Tyler-Kabara
Elizabeth-Tyler-Kabara
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Motor learning
• Movement Disorders
• Neuromodulation
• Speech Production
• Neurotrauma, Stroke

Technology & Drugs Development
• Brain-Computer Interfaces
• Neurorehabilitation
Pediatric Neurosurgery /
Neurosciences
Elizabeth's bio
Esther Melamed
Esther Melamed
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Neuroimmunology
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• COVID-19 autoimmunity
• Alcohol in Autoimmunity
• Neuroinflamammation
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) /
Neuroinflamammation
The Melamed Lab
Ethan Meltzer
Ethan Meltzer
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Neuroimmunology
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Neuroinflammation
Equity with Multiple Sclerosis /
Neuro-Ophthalmology
Greg Fonzo
Greg Fonzo
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• PTSD
• Mood Disorders
• Anxiety Disorders
• Neuromodulation

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Neurorehabilitation
Trauma /
Anxiety /
Stress /
Depression /
Brain Imaging /
Brain Modulation /
Psychedelic Research /
Neuromodulation
Translational and Clinical Neuroscience (TrAC Neuro) Lab
Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy
Hamidreza (Reza) Saber
Hamidreza (Reza) Saber
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Cerebral Aneurysms
• Stroke
• Brain Vascular Malformations
• Subarachnoid/Cerebral Hemorrhage

Technology & Drugs Development
• Neurointerventional Devices
• Machine Learning
• Wearable Sensors

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Neurorehabilitation
Mechanical thrombectomy /
Coiling; Stenting /
Data Science /
Neurotechnology /
Jabbi Mbemba
Jabbi Mbemba
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Mood Disorders
• Neurogenetics
• Neurotranscriptomics
• Neuroanatomy
• Lifespan and Aging

Technology & Drugs Development
• Behavioral Phenotyping
• Cellular Studies
Neurobiology of Diseases /
Behavioral Genetics /
Neuroinflammation /
Afffective Functions/Dysfunctions /
Mood Functions/Dysfunctions /
Brain Imaging /
Diagnostics /
RNA-Sequencing
Laboratory of Affective Neurogenetics
Jared Benge
Jared Benge
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Aging & Neurodegenerative Disorders.
• Neuropsychology
• Cognitive Disorders

Technology & Drugs Development
• Assistive Technologies

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Smartphone Memory Aides
Neuropsychology /
Technology and Dementia /
Statistics /
Patient Centered Outcomes /
Alzheimer Disease & Related Disorders /
Movement Disorders
TechANS Lab
Jeff Newport
Jeff Newport
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Reproductive Psychiatry
• Mood Disorders
• Anxiety Disorders
• Psychofarmacology

Technology & Drugs Development
•

Clinical Rehabilitation
•
Reproductive Psychatry /
Postpartum Depression
<a href="https://sites.utexas.edu/tx-wrmh/">Texas Women's Reproductive Mental Health website
Jennifer Donegan
Jennifer Donnegan
Psychiatric Disorders/ Systems
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Neural Circuits
Neuroscience /
Stress /
Neurodevelopment/
Autism /
Schizophrenia
<a href="https://sites.utexas.edu/doneganlab/">Neural Circuits & Behavioral Development Lab
Josh Cisler
Josh Cisler
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• PTSD

Technology & Drugs Development
• Functional Neuroimaging
• Computational Neuroscience

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Treatments
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)) /
Neurocircuitry
<a href="https://sites.utexas.edu/cisler-neurotap/">NeuroTap Lab
Jorge Almeida
Jorge Almeida
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Mood Disorders
• Bipolar Disorders

Technology & Drugs Development
• Neuro Imaging
• Functional Magnetic Resonance (fMRI)
Bipolar disorders /
Neurooimaging /
Neurostimulation /
Functional MRI (fMRI)
Bipolar Center

Bipolar Medical Service website
Jose del R. Millan, Ph.D.
Jose Millan
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Motor Learning
• Movement Disorders
• Neuromodulation
• Cognition & Communication
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Neurotrauma
• Stroke
• Imaging

Technology & Drugs Development
• Brain-Computer Interfaces
• Wearable Technology and Robotics

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Neurorehabilitation
Neuroprosthetics /
Brain-Machine Interfaces /
Neural Engineering /
Closed-Loop Neuromodulation/
Exoskeleton & Prosthetics /
Rehabilitive and Surgical Robotics /
Robot Learning /
Human-Robot Interaction /
Artificial Intelligence
CNBI Lab
Joseph Dunsmoor
Joseph Dunsmoor
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Anxiety Disorders
• PTSD
• Cognitive Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience /
Emotion /
Fear /
Conditioning /
Memory /
Neuroimaging
Learning, Memory, and Emotion Lab
Joshua Chang
Joshua Chang
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Neurology
• Signal Analysis
• Predictive Analytics
• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Technology & Drugs Development
• Electroceutical Devices
Computational Neurology /
Neuromodulation /
Computational Modelling/
Chang Lab
Jun Wang, Ph.D.
Jun Wang
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Cognition & Communication
• Neurological Speech Disorders
• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Technology & Drugs Development
• Brain-Computer Interfaces
• Assistive Speech Technologies
Speech Motor Control /
Silent Speech Interface /
MEG
Speech Disorders and Technology Lab
Justin Benzer
Justin Benzer
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Healthcare Organization
Organizational Change /
Coordination /
Behavioral Health /
Implementation Science /
Survey methodology /
Qualitative Interviews /
Quality improvement
Karl Chiang
Karl Chiang
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Bipolar disorders

Technology & Drugs Development
•

Clinical Rehabilitation
•
Kirsten Arredondo
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Pediatric Neurology
• Pediatric Epilepsy
• Video EEG
• Neurophysiology
• Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
• Malformations of Cortical Dev.
• Epilepsy Surgery Access and Outcomes

Technology & Drugs Development
• Intracranial EEG monitoring
• Neuromodulation
Kristina Julich
Kristina Julich
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Pediatric Epilepsy
• Neurogenetics
• Brain Malformations
• Neurocutaneous Disorders
• Disparities in Care/ Health Equity in Pediatric Neurology
Laureen Dobbs
Lauren Dobbs
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Neuroscience
• Neural Circuits of Addiction
• Polysubstance Abuse
Behavioral Models /
Synaptic Transmission & Plasticity /
Opiates /
Behavioral Neuroscience /
Electrophysiology
Dobbs Lab
Leorah Freeman
Léorah Freeman
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Neuroimmunology
• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
• Small Fiber Neuropathy
• Outcomes Research
• Clinical Trials
• Equity
• Health economics

Technology & Drugs Development
• Predictive Modeling
• Neuroimaging: MRI, PET
• Artificial Intelligence

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Adaptive Exercise Implementation in the Community
Outcome Prediction /
Equity /
Clinical Trials
MS.io Lab
Liberty Hamilton, Ph.D.
Liberty Hamilton
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Epilepsy
• Cognition & Communication
• Speech & Language Disorders
• Intracranial & Scalp EEG

Technology & Drugs Development
• Brain-Computer Interfaces

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Neurorehabilitation
• Translational Neuroscience (Cognitive & Systems)
Neuroscience /
Speech Perception /
Electrocorticography /
Electroencephalography /
Natural Stimuli /
Translational Neuroscience /
Computational Neurosciences
Hamilton Lab
Lief Ericsson Fenno
Lief Ericsson Fenno
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Optogenetic
• Gene Therapy
• Mental Illness
• Drug Addiction
Neuroscience /
Opioids /
Synthetic Biology /
Viral Engineering
Molecular Engineering, Design & Discovery Lab
Linda Noble-Haeusslein
Linda Noble-Haeusslein
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Early Age and Adult Traumatic Brain Injury
• Early Life Adversity

Preclinical Therapeutic Development
• Matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors
• Neutrophil-targeted therapeutics
• Enhanced antioxidant status

Preclinical Neurorehabilitation
• Forced and voluntary exercise
Translational Neuroscience /
Rodent /
CNS Injury and Repair /
Neurotrauma /
Matrix Metalloproteinases /
Neutrophil /
Blood-Brain Barrier /
Neurological Recovery /
Antioxidant
Noble-Haeusslein Lab website
MacKenzie Howard
Howard MacKenzie
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Neurophysiology
• Cellular Neurophysiology
• Synaptic Transmission & Plasticity
• Translational Epilepsy
Neuroscience /
Electrophysiology /
Synaptic Integration /
Synaptic Plasticity /
Translational Epilepsy /
Cellular Neurophysiology
Howard Neuro Lab
Manikum Moodley
Manikum Moodley
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Pediatric Neurology
• Pediatric onset MS/clinical trials in POMS
• Neuro-immunology/Neuroinflammation
• Neurofibromatosis/ Vasculopathies of NF1
• Pediatric Autonomic Disorders including POTS.
• Neonatal neurologyPediatric MS

Pediatric Neurology /
Neurofibromatosis /

Micky Marinelli
Micky Marinelli
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Neurobiological Addiction
• Motivation
Neurosciences/
Addiction /
Motivation /
Stress /
Adolescence /
Dopamine
The Neuroscience of Addiction and Motivation
Nicholas Ortiz
Nicholas Ortiz
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Depressive disorders
• Bipolar disorders
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Neuromodulation therapies
• Schizophrenia

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
• Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
• Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for OCD
• Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
Clinical Trials
Omar Iqbal
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Spinal Dysraphism
• Cranio-cervical Junction
• Pediatric Spine Deformity
• Fetal Neurosurgery
• Pediatric Epilepsy

Technology & Drugs Development
• Growth Modulation
• MrLITT for Oncology and Epilepsy
• Advanced imaging for Complex Tethered Cord
Pediatric Neurosurgery /
Epilepsy /
Spine Deformity /
Spinal Dysraphism /
Neurological Congenital Malformations
Rachel Bridges
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Oncology/ Hematology

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Cognitive Eemediation

Technology & Drugs Development
• Computerized Neuropsychological Assessment
Pediatric Neuropsychology /
Neurocognitive Monitoring/
Targeted neuropsychological assessment
Rex A. Wright
Rex A. Wright
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Motivation
• Cardiovascular Health
• Chronotype
• Cognitive Decline
• Fatigue
• Self-Regulation
• Trauma
Rishi Sawhney
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Serious Mental Illness
• Community and Public Psychiatry
• Health Economics
• Integration of Behavioral Health in Primary Care
• Recovery Based Supports

Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Community Integration after Institutionalization
Robert O. Messing
Robert O. Messing
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Pain
• Substance Use Disorders
• Neuroimmune Signaling
• Neuropeptides

Technology & Drugs Development
• Kinase Inhibitors
Neuroscience /
Addiction /
Pain /
Signal Transduction /
Translational Neuroscience /
Neuroimmune Signaling
Messing Lab
Roshni Koli
Roshni Koli
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• Pediatric mood disorders
• Pediatric anxiety disorders
• Pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatry
• Integration of behavioral health in pediatric primary care
Steve Warach
Steve Warach
Neurological Disorders / Systems
• Stroke
• Cerebro Vascular Diseases

Technology & Drugs Development
•

Clinical Rehabilitation
• Speech & Cognitive Rehabilitation
Imaging /
MRI /
Thrombectomy /
Sex differences in vascular circulation /
Tenecteplase/
Alteplase
Suzannah Creech
Suzanna Creech
Psychiatric Disorders / Systems
• PTSD
• Trauma
Family Functioning /
Military veterans /
Interpersonal Violence
Short Bio
Tawny Smith
Tawny Smith
Psychiatric Disorders/ Systems
• Mood Disorders
• Bipolar
• Schizophrenia
• Reproductive Psychiatry
• Psychopharmacology.
Veda V Vedanarayanan
Veda V Vedanarayanan
Neurological Disorders / Systems
•

Technology & Drugs Development
•

Clinical Rehabilitation
•

Primary Sidebar

Latest News

  • A Jolt of Innovation for Brain-Computer Interfaces June 16, 2025
  • Sound Waves That Heal: A Breakthrough for Depression and Anxiety May 12, 2025
  • Celebrating our Mulva Faculty Members Promotions March 24, 2025
  • UT CARE Initiative Seminar Series Speaker – Cemal Ozemek – Friday, 2/28/25 February 25, 2025
  • James Sulzer Student Travel Award to attend a conference: deadline Jan 15, 2025 December 15, 2024

Latest Publications

Do We All Do the Same Things? Applicability of Daily Activities at the Intersection of Demographics. Neuropsychology.

Prefrontal Cortical Dynorphin Peptidergic Transmission Constrains Threat-driven Behavioral and Network States. Neuron.

Knockdown of Tlr3 in Dorsal Striatum Reduces Ethanol Consumption and Acute Functional Tolerance in Male Mice. Brain Behav Immun.

Longitudinal Associations of Physical and Emotional Distress Tolerance with Pain Intensity and Pain-Related Disability in United States Veterans. The Journal of Pain.

Combining Detrended Cross-Correlation Analysis with Riemannian Geometry-based Classification for Improved Brain-computer Interface Performance. Front Neurosci.

The Role of Occipital Condyle and Atlas Anomalies on Occipital Cervical Fusion Outcomes in Chiari Malformation Type I with Syringomyelia: a Study from the Park-Reeves Syringomyelia Research Consortium. J Neurosurg Pediatr.

For a complete list of publications go to our Publications page!

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