Meet the esteemed faculty at UTHealth Houston and partner institutions within the Texas Medical Center who are dedicated to advancing stroke and cerebrovascular disease research, treatment, and education.
Acute Stroke
Andrew D. Barreto, MD, MS, FAHA
Professor, Department of Neurology
UTHealth Houston
UTHealth Houston
Ritvij Bowry, MD
Assistant Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
UTHealth Houston
UTHealth Houston
Alexandra L. Czap, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
James Grotta, MD
Founder, Stroke Program; Former Chair, Department of Neurology; Director of Stroke Research, Clinical Institute for Research and Innovation, Memorial Hermann - Texas Medical Center
Director, Mobile Stroke Unit Consortium
Director, Mobile Stroke Unit Consortium
Chethan P Venkatasubba Rao, M.D., FNCS
Associate Professor at Baylor College of Medicine
Basic Science Research
Jaroslaw (Jarek) Aronowski, MD, PhD
Professor, Department of Neurology
Vice Chair for Research, Department of Neurology
Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Chair in Neurology
Director of Stroke Research
UTHealth Houston
Vice Chair for Research, Department of Neurology
Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Chair in Neurology
Director of Stroke Research
UTHealth Houston
Shao-Ling Huang, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Joo E. Jung, PhD
Assistant Professor
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Eunhee Kim, PhD
Assistant Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Devin McBride, PhD
Assistant Professor
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Nikunj Satani, MD, MPH, MBBS
Assistant Professor
Instructor of Vascular Neurology
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Instructor of Vascular Neurology
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Xiurong Zhao, MD
Professor, Department of Neurology
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Bioinformatics and AI
Xiaoqian Jiang, PhD
Professor; Center Director of Secure Artificial intelligence For hEalthcare (SAFE)
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Yejin Kim, PhD
Assistant Professor, UTHealth Houston School of Biomedical Informatics
Biostatistics and Data Sciences
Seokun Kim, PhD
Assistant Professor
Vahed Maroufy
Assistant Professor, Biostatistics at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health
Mohammad Hossein Rahbar, PhD
Professor, Epidemiology & Biostatistics
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Robert Suchting, PhD
Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
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Hulin Wu, PhD, MS
The Betty Wheless Trotter Professor & Chair Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, SPH Director, Center for Big Data in Health Sciences, SPH Professor, School of Biomedical Informatics
Jose-Miguel Yamal, PhD
Professor of Biostatistics, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health
Ashraf Yaseen, PhD
Assistant Professor, Data Science
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Brain Hemorrhage
Jaroslaw (Jarek) Aronowski, MD, PhD
Professor, Department of Neurology
Vice Chair for Research, Department of Neurology
Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Chair in Neurology
Director of Stroke Research
UTHealth Houston
Vice Chair for Research, Department of Neurology
Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Chair in Neurology
Director of Stroke Research
UTHealth Houston
Spiros Blackburn, MD
Associate Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Tiffany R. Chang, MD
Assistant Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Jared Chen, MD
Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgeon
Assistant Professor
Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Assistant Professor
Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Huimahn A. Choi, MD
Associate Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department Of Neurosurgery; Interim Vice-Chair, Neuro Critical Care; McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Kareem Elzamly, MD
Assistant Professor, McGovern Medical School
Aaron Gusdon
Assistant Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Mohammad Hirzallah, MD, MMSc
Assistant Professor Departments of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Center for Space Medicine Section of Neurocritical care and Vascular Neurology Baylor College of Medicine
Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery
Spiros Blackburn, MD
Associate Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Peng R. Chen, MD
Professor;Vice Chair in Cerebrovascular Research;Director of Cerebrovascular/Endovascular Fellowship;Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Jared Chen, MD
Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgeon
Assistant Professor
Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Assistant Professor
Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Mark Dannenbaum, MD
Assistant Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School
McGovern Medical School
Clinical Trial Design
Charles Green, PhD
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Sean I. Savitz, MD
Professor of Neurology and Frank M. Yatsu, M.D. Chair in Neurology; McGovern Medical School
Director, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
UTHealth Houston
Director, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
UTHealth Houston
Jose-Miguel Yamal, PhD
Professor of Biostatistics, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health
Community Outreach
Elizabeth Noser, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Neurology; James C. Grotta Chair in Neurorecovery and Stroke, Department of Neurology; Director of Community Engagement, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at UTHealth Houston
Endovascular
Yazan Alderazi, MD
Stroke and Endovascular Director | HCA Houston Healthcare
Spiros Blackburn, MD
Associate Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Peng R. Chen, MD
Professor;Vice Chair in Cerebrovascular Research;Director of Cerebrovascular/Endovascular Fellowship;Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Jared Chen, MD
Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgeon
Assistant Professor
Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Assistant Professor
Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Mark Dannenbaum, MD
Assistant Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School
McGovern Medical School
Hashem Shaltoni, MD
Associate Professor, Director, UTMB Stroke Program
Health Services Research and Health Economics
Suja S. Rajan, PhD
Associate Professor, Management, Policy & Community Health, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health
Mental Health After Stroke
Jennifer Beauchamp, PhD, RN
Associate Professor, Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston
Jason Burnett, PhD
Associate Professor, Geriatric and Palliative Medicine
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Alejandro M Chaoul, PhD
Founder and Director of The Jung Center’s Mind Body Spirit Institute;Adjunct Faculty, McGovern Center for Humanity and Ethics;Adjunct Faculty, Department of Integrative Medicine MD Anderson Cancer Center
Jennifer B Hughes, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UTHealth Houston
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UTHealth Houston
Carina Katigbak, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, FAHA
Associate Professor | Department of Research | Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston
Neurocardiology Research
Neuroimaging
Alireza Akhbardeh, PhD
Professor,
Department of Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging at McGovern Medical School
Director of the UTHealthSonix Ultrasound Center
Department of Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging at McGovern Medical School
Director of the UTHealthSonix Ultrasound Center
Muhammad E. Haque, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Neurology
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Max Wintermark, MD
Chair, Radiology MD Anderson
Nursing Training Program
Lisa Thomas, DNP, RN, CNS
Assistant Professor, Department of Graduate Studies, UTHealth Cizik School of Nursing
Omics Research
Myriam Fornage, PhD
Professor, McGovern Medical School Institute of Molecular Medicine Research Center for Human Genetics
Pain Management
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Deniz N. Dishman, PhD, CRNA, NSPM-C
Assistant Professor, Department of Research Cizik School of Nursing | Director Post-Stroke Pain Management Program at the Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
Michael Nguyen, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Sarah Prinsloo, Ph.D., M.A., LMFT-S, LPC, BCIA
Assistant Professor, Department of Palliative, Rehabilitation, and Integrative Medicine, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Pediatrics
Michelle S. Barratt, MD, MPH
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Melika Abrahams, RN, BSN, CPN
Cerebrovascular Nurse, Pediatric Stroke Program
UTHealth Houston Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
UTHealth Houston Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Antoinette W. Bernal-Tent
Research Coordinator I Center for the Treatment of Pediatric Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Pediatrics | Division of Child & Adolescent Neurology at UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School
Stephen A. Fletcher, DO
Associate Professor, Division Of Pediatric Neurosurgery
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Stuart M. Fraser, MD
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Neurology
Director, Program for Pediatric Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at the Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at UTHealth Houston
Director, Program for Pediatric Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at the Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at UTHealth Houston
Natalie A. Montanez, NP
Nurse Practitioner, Hematology - Oncology
Thao L. Nguyen, DO, FAAP
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
Maria Poblete
Research Coordinator II, Clinical Trials Program | Center for the Treatment of Pediatric Neurodegenerative Disease, Department of Pediatrics | Division of Child & Adolescent Neurology at UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School
David I. Sandberg, MD, FACS, FAAP
Neurological Surgery and Pediatric Surgery
Manish N. Shah, MD
Associate Professor, Division Of Pediatric Neurosurgery
Keely G. Smith, MD, FAAP
Division Chief, Pediatric Hospital Medicine
Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Lakshmi V. Srivaths, MD
Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist
Population Health and Health Disparities
Nitha M. Joseph, PhD, RN, CNE
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DEPARTMENT OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES
Anjail Z. Sharrief, MD, MPH
Associate Professor, Department of Neurology; Director, Vascular Neurology Fellowship Program
McGovern Medical School
Director of Stroke Prevention, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School
Director of Stroke Prevention, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at UTHealth Houston
Irene Tami-Murray, DMD, DrPH, MSc
Assistant Professor (Tenure-Track), Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX.
Maria Ukhanova, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, School of Public Health
Yolanda R Villarreal, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department Of Family And Community Medicine; Vice Chair of Cross-Cultural Engagement, Department Of Family And Community Medicine, McGovern Medical School
Prevention
Jane Anderson, PhD, MSN, RN, FNP-BC
Director of Education and Research, VA National TeleStroke Program (NTSP); Assistant Professor, Department pf Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine
Chigozirim Izeogu, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor, McGovern Medical School
Christina Y. Kim, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Munachi N. Okpala, DNP, MBA, MSN, APRN
STEP Clinic Program Manager
Stroke Clinic Nurse Practitioner
Community Outreach Organizer
UTHealth Houston
Stroke Clinic Nurse Practitioner
Community Outreach Organizer
UTHealth Houston
Anjail Z. Sharrief, MD, MPH
Associate Professor, Department of Neurology; Director, Vascular Neurology Fellowship Program
McGovern Medical School
Director of Stroke Prevention, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School
Director of Stroke Prevention, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at UTHealth Houston
Wesley Tucker, Ph.D., RDN
Assistant Professor, Nutrition Nutrition and Food Sciences | Texas Women's University
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Deniz N. Dishman, PhD, CRNA, NSPM-C
Assistant Professor, Department of Research Cizik School of Nursing | Director Post-Stroke Pain Management Program at the Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
Mary Russell, DO, MS
Assistant Professor, Medical Director, TIRR Memorial Hermann - The Woodlands
Sean I. Savitz, MD
Professor of Neurology and Frank M. Yatsu, M.D. Chair in Neurology; McGovern Medical School
Director, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
UTHealth Houston
Director, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
UTHealth Houston
Tatiana Schnur, PhD
Professor, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, McGovern Medical School, Adjunct Professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Houston, Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychological Sciences, Rice University
Heather Smith, MA, CCC-SLP, CBIS
Speech-Language Pathologist | Research Coordinator
UTHealth Houston Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
UTHealth Houston Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Emily Stevens, OTR, MOT, CSRS
Research Occupational Therapist
Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist, Lead, Motor Recovery Trials
UTHealth Houston Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist, Lead, Motor Recovery Trials
UTHealth Houston Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Brain Health
Seema S Aggarwal, PhD, APRN, AGNP-C
Assistant Professor in the Cizik School of Nursing, Department of Research
UTHealth Houston
UTHealth Houston
Kendra Anderson, PhD
Neuropsychologist UTHealth Houston Neurosciences Neurocognitive Disorders Center
Assistant Professor of Neurology Department of Neurology
Division of Neuropsychology McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Assistant Professor of Neurology Department of Neurology
Division of Neuropsychology McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston
Augusto Cesar Ferriera De Moraes, BSc., MSc., PhD
Epidemiologist, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth Austin School of Public Health
Myriam Fornage, Ph.D.
Professor, Center for Human Genetics; Laurence and Johanna Favrot Distinguished Professor in Cardiology,
Chelsea Liu, PhD
Assistant Professor, School of Public Health
Sean I. Savitz, MD
Professor of Neurology and Frank M. Yatsu, M.D. Chair in Neurology; McGovern Medical School
Director, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
UTHealth Houston
Director, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease
UTHealth Houston
Anjail Z. Sharrief, MD, MPH
Associate Professor, Department of Neurology; Director, Vascular Neurology Fellowship Program
McGovern Medical School
Director of Stroke Prevention, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at UTHealth Houston
McGovern Medical School
Director of Stroke Prevention, Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at UTHealth Houston
Heather Smith, MA, CCC-SLP, CBIS
Speech-Language Pathologist | Research Coordinator
UTHealth Houston Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases
UTHealth Houston Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases