Faculty

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

Andrew.D.Barreto@uth.tmc.edu

Ritvij Bowry, MD

Assistant Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
UTHealth Houston

Ritvij.Bowry@uth.tmc.edu

Alexandra L. Czap, MD

Assistant Professor, Department of Neurology, McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Alexandra.L.Czap@uth.tmc.edu

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

James.C.Grotta@uth.tmc.edu

Chethan P Venkatasubba Rao, M.D., FNCS

Associate Professor at Baylor College of Medicine

cprao@bcm.edu

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

J.Aronowski@uth.tmc.edu

Shao-Ling Huang, MD, PhD

Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Medicine
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Joo E. Jung, PhD

Assistant Professor
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Eunhee Kim, PhD

Assistant Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Devin McBride, PhD

Assistant Professor
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Devin.W.McBride@uth.tmc.edu

Nikunj Satani, MD, MPH, MBBS

Assistant Professor
Instructor of Vascular Neurology
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Nikunj.B.Satani@uth.tmc.edu

Xiurong Zhao, MD

Professor, Department of Neurology
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Xiurong.Zhao@uth.tmc.edu

Bioinformatics and AI

Xiaoqian Jiang, PhD

Professor; Center Director of Secure Artificial intelligence For hEalthcare (SAFE)
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Xiaoqian.Jiang@uth.tmc.edu

Yejin Kim, PhD

Assistant Professor, UTHealth Houston School of Biomedical Informatics

Yejin.Kim@uth.tmc.edu

Shayan Shams, PhD

Assistant Professor
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Shayan.Shams@uth.tmc.edu

Biostatistics and Data Sciences

Placeholder image indicating that this individual does not have a photo on file

Seokun Kim, PhD

Assistant Professor

Vahed Maroufy

Assistant Professor, Biostatistics at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health

vahed.maroufy@uth.tmc.edu

Mohammad Hossein Rahbar, PhD

Professor, Epidemiology & Biostatistics
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Mohammad.H.Rahbar@uth.tmc.edu

Robert Suchting, PhD

Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

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

Hulin.Wu@uth.tmc.edu

Jose-Miguel Yamal, PhD

Associate Professor of Biostatistics, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health

jose-miguel.yamal@uth.tmc.edu

Ashraf Yaseen, PhD

Assistant Professor, Data Science
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

ashraf.yaseen@uth.tmc.edu

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

J.Aronowski@uth.tmc.edu

Spiros Blackburn, MD

Associate Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Yolanda.Morana@memorialhermann.org

Tiffany R. Chang, MD

Assistant Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Karolina.A.Rodriguez@uth.tmc.edu

Jared Chen, MD

Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgeon
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

Sabah.Mimid@uth.tmc.edu

Kareem Elzamly, MD

Assistant Professor, McGovern Medical School

Aaron Gusdon

Assistant Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
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

mohammad.hirzallah@bcm.edu

Cerebrovascular Neurosurgery

Spiros Blackburn, MD

Associate Professor, Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Yolanda.Morana@memorialhermann.org

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

Jared Chen, MD

Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgeon
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

Maggie.Malekifar@memorialhermann.org

Clinical Trial Design

Charles Green, PhD

Professor, Department of Pediatrics
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

charles.green@uth.tmc.edu

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

Sean.I.Savitz@uth.tmc.edu

Jose-Miguel Yamal, PhD

Associate Professor of Biostatistics, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health

jose-miguel.yamal@uth.tmc.edu

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

elizabeth.noser@uth.tmc.edu

Belinda Reininger, Dr.P.H., M.P.H.

Hannah.C.Rasorrhodes@uth.tmc.edu

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

Yolanda.Morana@memorialhermann.org

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

Jared Chen, MD

Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgeon
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

Maggie.Malekifar@memorialhermann.org

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

suja.s.rajan@uth.tmc.edu

Mental Health After Stroke

Jennifer Beauchamp, PhD, RN

Associate Professor, Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston

Jennifer.E.Sanner@uth.tmc.edu

Jason Burnett, PhD

Associate Professor, Geriatric and Palliative Medicine
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

Jason.Burnett@uth.tmc.edu

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

achaoul@junghouston.org

Christopher P. Fagundes, PhD

Professor, Rice University

christopher.fagundes@rice.edu

Jennifer B Hughes, PhD

Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UTHealth Houston

Jennifer.B.Hughes@uth.tmc.edu

Carina Katigbak, PhD, RN, ANP-BC, FAHA

Associate Professor | Department of Research | Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston

carina.katigbak@uth.tmc.edu

Neurocardiology Research

Mahan Shahrivari, MD

Department of Neurology, UTHealth Houston

Mahan.Shahrivari@uth.tmc.edu

Neuroimaging

Alireza Akhbardeh, PhD

Professor,
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

Muhammad.E.Haque@uth.tmc.edu

Clark W. Sitton, MD

Professor, Radiology

Angela.M.Wilkes@uth.tmc.edu

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

Lisa.W.Thomas@uth.tmc.edu

Omics Research

Myriam Fornage, PhD

Professor, McGovern Medical School Institute of Molecular Medicine Research Center for Human Genetics

Myriam.Fornage@uth.tmc.edu

Pain Management

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

Melika.A.Abrahams@uth.tmc.edu

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

antoinette.bernaltent@uth.tmc.edu

Ian J. Butler, MD

Professor
Distinguished Chair In West Syndrome Research

ian.j.butler@uth.tmc.edu

Stephen A. Fletcher, DO

Associate Professor, Division Of Pediatric Neurosurgery

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

pedistroke@uth.tmc.edu

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

maria.poblete@uth.tmc.edu

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

Lakshmi V. Srivaths, MD

Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist

Population Health and Health Disparities

Nitha M. Joseph, PhD, RN, CNE

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR DEPARTMENT OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES

NITHA.MATHEW@UTH.TMC.EDU

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

anjail.z.sharrief@uth.tmc.edu

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

janea@bcm.edu

Chigozirim Izeogu, MD, MPH

Assistant Professor, McGovern Medical School

Christina Y. Kim, MD

Clinical Assistant Professor
McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston

phillip.gonzales@uth.tmc.edu

Munachi N. Okpala, DNP, MBA, MSN, APRN

STEP Clinic Program Manager
Stroke Clinic Nurse Practitioner
Community Outreach Organizer
UTHealth Houston

Anjail Z. Sharrief, MD, MPH

anjail.z.sharrief@uth.tmc.edu

Wesley Tucker, Ph.D., RDN

Assistant Professor, Nutrition Nutrition and Food Sciences | Texas Women's University

wtucker1@twu.edu

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

deniz.n.dishman@uth.tmc.edu

Mary Russell, DO, MS

Assistant Professor, Medical Director, TIRR Memorial Hermann - The Woodlands

Sherri.Smith2@memorialhermann.org

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

Sean.I.Savitz@uth.tmc.edu

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

Heather.Smith.1@uth.tmc.edu

Emily Stevens, OTR, MOT, CSRS

Research Occupational Therapist
Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist, Lead, Motor Recovery Trials
UTHealth Houston Institute for Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases

emily.a.stevens@uth.tmc.edu

Vascular Cognitive Impairment and Brain Health

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