Scientific Faculty Members

W. Dalton Dietrich, III, Ph.D.
Scientific Director, The Miami Project; Kinetic Concepts Distinguished Chair in Neurosurgery; Senior Associate Dean for Discovery Science; Co-Director, Institute for Neural Engineering; Professor, Neurological Surgery, Neurology, Biomedical Engineering and Cell Biology
Research Interests: Neuroprotection and Improved Recovery of Function following Brain and Spinal Cord Injury

• • • ddietrich@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-8182

Barth A. Green, M.D.
Chairman, The Miami Project; Executive Dean, Global Health and Community Service; Professor, Departments of Neurological Surgery, Neurology, Radiology, Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Medicine
Research Interests: Translational Research for Spinal Cord Injury including Cellular Transplantation and Neural Tissue Protection, especially as applies to mild Hypothermia

• • • j.lemma@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-6946

Allan D. Levi, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.
Clinical Director, The Miami Project; Professor and Chairman, Department of Neurological Surgery; Professor, Departments of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Medicine; Chief of Neurosurgery, Jackson Memorial Hospital; Robert M. Buck Distinguished Chair in Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Cellular Transplantation Strategies after Spinal Cord and Peripheral Nerve Injury

• • • alevi@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-4572

Hassan Al-Ali, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Understanding the signaling pathways that regulate axon growth, and identifying components of those pathways that can be targeted with drugs to induce robust axon regeneration

• • • halali@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-4875

Coleen M. Atkins, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Developing Novel Therapies for Traumatic Brain Injury
Laboratory Page

• • • catkins@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-4698

Nagi G. Ayad, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Co-Director, University of Miami Brain Tumor Initiative
Research Interests: Identifying therapeutic combinations in brain cancer and spinal cord injury

• • • nayad@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-7695

John Bixby, Ph.D.
Professor, Departments of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology and Neurological Surgery
Vice Provost for Research
Research Interests: High Content Screening and Functional Genomics of the Nervous System

• • • jbixby@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-8184

Nancy L. Brackett, Ph.D., HCLD
Research Professor, Departments of Urology and Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Male Fertility following Spinal Cord Injury

• • • nbrackett@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-7108

Roberta Brambilla, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Neuroinflammation and neuro-immune interactions in neurological disease

• • • rbrambilla@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-7131

Helen M. Bramlett, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: The Pathology and Treatment of CNS Injury

• • • hbramlett@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-8926

M. Ross Bullock, M.D., Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Preclinical Mechanistic and Neuroprotection Research in Traumatic Brain Injury and Clinical trials, and Neuromonitoring Techniques in the Injured Brain

• • • rbullock@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-818

Mary Bartlett Bunge, Ph.D.
Christine E. Lynn Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience; Professor Emerita, Departments Cell Biology & Anatomy, Neurological Surgery and Neurology
Research Interests: Development of Combination Strategies to Repair the Injured Spinal Cord

• • • mbunge@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-7108

Katie Gant, Ph.D.
Director of Education and Outreach, The Miami Project; Research Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Clinical Trials and Neuroengineering

• • • kgant@miami.edu
    • (305) 243-7108

David R. Gater, Jr., M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair and Spinal Cord Injury Fellowship Director, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; Medical Director of Rehabilitation, Jackson Memorial Hospital; Co-Director, NIDILRR South Florida Spinal Cord Injury Model System
Research Interests: Effects of diet and exercise training on energy metabolism

• • • dgater@miami.edu
    • (305) 243-9516

Mousumi Ghosh, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Altering Host Glial Response following CNS Injury and Disease to Promote Repair

• • • mghosh@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-9846

James D. Guest, M.D., Ph.D.
Clinical Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Augmented Recovery after SCI; Application of Therapeutic Combinations in Preclinical Studies, and Early Phase Clinical Trials

• • • jguest@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-7059

Gillian A. Hotz, Ph.D.
Research Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Director, KiDZ Neuroscience Center
Director, Concussion, WalkSafe®, BikeSafe® and SkateSafe® Programs
Research Interests: Neurocognitive Deficits and Injury Prevention

• • • ghotz@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-4004

Robert W. Keane, Ph.D.
Professor, Departments of Physiology & Biophysics and Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Regulation of Innate Immunity after CNS Trauma

• • • rkeane@miami.edu
    • 305) 243-5726

Jae K. Lee, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Glial and Fibrotic Scar Formation in the CNS; Axon Regeneration

• • • JLee22@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-2646

Vance Lemmon, Ph.D.
Walter G. Ross Distinguished Chair in Developmental Neuroscience; Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: High Content Screening and Functional Genomics of the Nervous System
Lemmon-Bixby lab

• • • vlemmon@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-8184

Howard B. Levene, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Clinical Neurological Surgery and Clinical Rehabilitation Medicine
Research Interests: Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors after SCI Schwann Cell Transplantation after SCI

• • • hlevene@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-6946

Daniel J. Liebl, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Molecular Mechanisms that Regulate Cellular Dysfunction and Death Following CNS Injury; Mechanisms to Promote Regeneration and Recovery

• • • dliebl@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-8183

Alberto Martinez-Arizala, M.D.
Clinical Associate Professor, Departments of Neurology, Neurological Surgery and Orthopedics & Rehabilitation Medicine
Research Interests: Pathophysiology and Treatment of Secondary Complications in Spinal Cord Injury

• • • amartine@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-7108

Mark S. Nash, Ph.D., FACSM
Professor, Departments of Neurological Surgery, Rehabilitation Medicine, Kinesiology & Sports Sciences and Physical Therapy
Research Interests: Physiological Assessment of Secondary Complications following SCI: Cardiometabolic and Vascular Physiology, Cardiovascular Pathology, Exercise and Nutritional Biochemistry, Electrical Stimulation and Bionics for Movement and Health

• • • mnash@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-7108

Brian R. Noga, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Brain and Spinal Mechanisms Controlling Walking

• • • bnoga@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-8184

Martin Oudega, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Bioengineering Cell-based Spinal Cord Repair

• • • moudega@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-9815

Kevin Park, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Mechanisms of Axon Regeneration and Neuroprotection

• • • kpark@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-2493

Damien D. Pearse, Ph.D.
The John M. and Jocelyn H.K. Watkins Distinguished Chair in Cell Therapies; Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Exploration and Translation of Therapeutic Strategies to Repair the Injured Spinal Cord and Brain

• • • dpearse@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-8185

Juan Pablo de Rivero Vaccari, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Understanding early inflammatory events corresponding to the innate immune response, the first line of defense against tissue damage and infections
Laboratory Page

• • • jderivero@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-7113

Jacqueline Sagen, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery
Research Interests: Cell Transplantation and Gene Therapies for Alleviation of Chronic Pain

• • • jsagen@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-5618

Thomas J. Sick, Ph.D.
Professor Emerita, Department of Neurology and Physiology & Biophysics
Research Interests: Cellular and Neuronal Circuit Alterations after Traumatic Brian Injury That Contribute to Cognitive Decline and Epilepsy

• • • tsick@miami.edu
    • (305) 243-7108

Pantelis Tsoulfas, M.D.
Associate Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery and Cell Biology & Anatomy
Research Interests: Neurotrophins: Specificity of Action

• • • ptsoulfas@med.miami.edu
    • (305) 243-3433

Michael Y. Wang, M.D.
Chief of Neurosurgery, University of Miami Hospital; Professor, Departments of Neurological Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine
Research Interests: Spinal Cord Injury Outcomes

• • • (305) 243-6946

Eva Widerstrom-Noga, Ph.D.
Research Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Neuroscience Program; Health Scientist, Veterans Affairs
Research Interests: Neurotrauma-related Neuropathic Pain Phenotypes and Biomarkers; Standards for Pain Assessment, Taxonomy and Classification after Spinal Cord Injury

• • • ewiderstrom-noga@miami.edu
    • (305) 243-7125