UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute

The latest updates in brain science at UT Southwestern's O'Donnell Brain Institute.

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

Congratulations to Dr. Naghmeh Kasbi and Dr. Thandiwe Chavula who were awarded O'Donnell Brain Institute travel grants. They presented their original research at scientific conferences last month. The awards support travel for trainees working with OBI Investigators.

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

What an accomplishment!

[UTSW Neurosurgery @UTSWNeurosurg]

Congrats to @UTSW MSTP student Haley Moore, Ph.D., hooded by @bradlega for completing her thesis, "Cell type specific mechanisms of neuromodulation in the human temporal cortex ex vivo" (next July she'll add the M.D.)! @UTSWMedCenter @UTSWBrain #Neurosurgery

[UTSW Neurosurgery @UTSWNeurosurg]

Team building at Netflix House Dallas! We survived the trials of Squid Game! 🔴⬜🛆☂️🟢 @UTSWMedCenter @UTSWBrain #Neurosurgery

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

OBI Investigators, Joseph Takahashi, Ph.D., and Carla Green, Ph.D., found that limiting food intake to a consistent daily eating window significantly improved health span in mice. The findings suggest meal timing could be part of a healthy aging strategy. https://t.co/nXKSTHW3HN

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

Munro Cullum, Ph.D., received the 2026 Karen Postal Outstanding Mentorship Award from @TheAACN and @APADivision40. The award recognizes Dr. Cullum's exceptional mentorship and contributions to the field of #neuropsychology. He has mentored more than 100 trainees over his career.

[UTSW Neurosurgery @UTSWNeurosurg]

Stereotactic radiosurgery #SRS with PD-1 inhibitor #immunotherapy for malignant #gliomas - what's the optimal order of treatment to improve outcomes? Dr. Ankur Patel & @MatthewSunMD investigate @TheJNS. https://t.co/LRNfQtoxSO @UTSWMedCenter @UTSWBrain #Neurosurgery

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

Paul Bossé, B.S.N., RN, CNML, CRRN, was named Inpatient Nursing Leader of the Year at the 2026 UT Southwestern Nursing Excellence Awards. Paul is Nursing Manager for Inpatient Rehabilitation. He also won a Patient Safety Star Award at this year's Celebration of Excellence.

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

Postdoctoral Researcher, Klaudia Jaczynska, Ph.D., was awarded a 2026 O'Donnell Brain Institute Sprouts Grant. Dr. Jaczynska is a member of the Joachimiak Lab. The OBI Sprouts Grant program supports trainees pursuing novel research directions.

[Yuuki Obata @YuukiObata1026]

Many thanks to @UTSWMedCenter Newsroom for highlighting our recent @PNASNews paper. "Why eating in the middle of the night can be a gut punch"

https://t.co/horTUHtc71

@CircadianClocks @UTSWScience @UTSWBrain

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

Congratulations to OBI Investigator, Yuuki Obata, Ph.D., on his lab's first publication! Dr. Obata joined UT Southwestern in 2021 as an Endowed Scholar. His lab studies how environmental factors like gut microbiota and diet shape neural circuits of the gut and brain.

[Yuuki Obata @YuukiObata1026]

Thrilled to share our latest publication in @PNASNews —and the first publication from my lab!
https://t.co/GWoLbjn6VU

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

Kexin Yu, Ph.D., LMSW, is leading research on the impact of loneliness and social isolation, both risk factors for dementia in older adults. Dr. Yu says data suggest that combatting isolation with community and connection can make a real difference.
https://t.co/sLuvVbPKr8

[UTSW Neurosurgery @UTSWNeurosurg]

Congratulations @drpouratian, who received an @NIH #R01 grant from @NINDS for "Dissecting the Network Physiology of Pallidal Burst Stimulation", transforming discoveries in mouse models into human therapies! @UTSWMedCenter @UTSWBrain #Neurosurgery

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

Yogesh Tak, Ph.D., was awarded a 2026 O'Donnell Brain Institute Sprouts Grant for his research on tau amyloid toxicity. Dr. Tak is a postdoc in the Center for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases and in the Sanders Lab. Learn more about Sprouts Grants: https://t.co/4pbX6P1BQh

[UTSW Neurosurgery @UTSWNeurosurg]

Congrats to UTSW medical student @GillianWitten, who was awarded the UTSW Dean’s Research Scholar Fellowship Program to spend a year studying the pathophysiology of depression with @drpouratian! @UTSWMedCenter @UTSWBrain #Neurosurgery

[UTSW Neurosurgery @UTSWNeurosurg]

16th Annual @HeadfortheCure 5K! Thank you to our @UTSWBrain team for raising hope, awareness, and funds to support brain tumor patients and their families on May 2nd. https://t.co/5zgxl89LSs @MatthewSunMD @Lucas_Mitre_ @UTSWMedCenter @UTSWBrain #Neurosurgery

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

Congratulations to Neurosurgery Resident, Dr. Rebeka Langston, who was awarded a 2026 O'Donnell Brain Institute Sprouts Grant. The award supports Dr. Langston's research project: "Spatial-genomic mapping of human arachnoid granulations to uncover novel CSF absorption pathways."

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

O'Donnell Brain Institute Investigator, Dr. Maria Chahrour, led two studies that shed new light on genes associated with #autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The findings could lead to improved diagnostics and therapies that can treat ASD at its genetic roots.
https://t.co/HJv9MJTK52

[UTSW Neurology @UTSWNeurology]

Team @UTSWBrain at Head for the Cure 5K
Honored to stand alongside patients, families, & advocates committed to advancing brain tumor research and support. Our team of 84 members raised more than $5,700 as part of our mission to remove barriers between discover and care.

[UTSW Science @UTSWScience]

What drives @MariaChahrour? Understanding the “why” behind neurodevelopmental conditions like autism. Her lab studies genes and brain development to advance understanding and inform more personalized approaches to care. Learn more: https://t.co/x3xg0pvDz0 #UTSWMeetTheMinds

[UT Southwestern O'Donnell Brain Institute @UTSWBrain]

Congratulations to the trainees who placed in the poster contest at the 2026 O'Donnell Brain Institute Research Day. Jian Xue, Ph.D., Ryan McGrath, and Aleksandra Wosztyl were recognized for the research projects they are working on with OBI Investigators. #neuroscience