Jakowec, Michael
Professor of Clinical Pharmacy (Teaching)
The primary focus of research in Dr. Jakowec’s laboratory is to better understand the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in neuroplasticity in the injured brain with the emphasis on the basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex, regions of the brain responsible for motor and cognitive behaviors.The overarching goal is to find improved therapeutic approaches for brain disorders especially Parkinson’s disease and drug addiction. For the past 20 years the laboratory has examined the effects of exercise on promoting neuroplasticity, particularly synaptogenesis in animal models of Parkinson’s disease. In addition to non-pharmacological approaches to promote brain repair, ongoing studies are using an experimental therapeutics approach to explore pharmacological interventions to determine if novel drugs can serve as a means to enhance brain repair, especially in the context of exercise. Recent studies have focused on the mechanisms by which astrocytes support neuronal function as well as mechanisms by which boosting mitochondrial integrity can promote improved functional connectivity and restoration of motor and cognitive behaviors.
Kalluri, Radha
Associate Professor of Otolaryngology
Physiology of the Inner Ear Laboratory focuses on understanding the physical and physiological mechanisms underlying sensory transduction in the inner ear, with the ultimate goal of understanding how disease and injury impair function. The lab. studies sensory transduction in the auditory and vestibular systems both at the cellular and system level using electrophysiology and biophysical modeling. Our work relies heavily on the interplay between quantitative analysis, theoretical modeling and experimental neuroscience.
Kaplan, Jonas
Associate Professor of Psychology
I study self, consciousness, and meaning-making in all of its forms, with a focus on understanding the neural systems that integrate information to form high level models of the world and of the self. This includes a focus on narrative cognition, and naturalistic fMRI methods that allow for the analysis of the real-time, ongoing neural dynamics that support our understanding of the people, events, and stories that make up our worlds.
Kim, Hosung
The Neuroimaging with Deep Learning Lab (NIDLL) focuses on developing and applying advanced artificial intelligence methods to understand brain health, aging, and disease. Our research integrates multimodal neuroimaging, biosignals, and longitudinal clinical data to characterize individual variability in brain structure and function across the lifespan. A central theme of the lab is the use of deep learning and data-driven modeling to derive biologically meaningful markers—such as regional brain age and system-level brain health indices—that can predict clinical outcomes and treatment response. A major emphasis of NIDLL is on sleep, cerebrovascular function, and the glymphatic system as key modulators of brain aging and neurodegeneration. We develop MRI-based metrics to quantify perivascular spaces, cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, and glymphatic function, and study how their disruption relates to poor sleep quality, accelerated brain aging, and neurodegenerative processes. These methods are applied across diverse populations and neurological conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, epilepsy, and sleep disorders, with the goal of identifying early, noninvasive biomarkers of disease vulnerability and progression. Ultimately, NIDLL aims to bridge computational neuroscience and translational medicine by building predictive models that support precision diagnosis and personalized intervention. By combining large-scale neuroimaging datasets, longitudinal designs, and interpretable AI, our work seeks to inform clinical decision-making and optimize therapeutic strategies for neurological and sleep-related disorders. The lab is led by Dr. Hosung Kim, who mentors trainees and collaborators in developing rigorous, impactful research at the intersection of neuroimaging, artificial intelligence, and brain health. We welcome you to join the lab and participate in our valuable research.
Kircanski, Katharina
The Multi-method Emotion Science and Outreach (MESO) Lab integrates affective and cognitive neuroscience, clinical science, and quantitative methods to study mechanisms of mood and anxiety disorders. We are particularly interested in parsing shared vs. specific mechanisms of symptoms that manifest across childhood and adolescence. Our research utilizes a multi-modal approach that includes fMRI, behavioral paradigms, and ecological momentary assessment (EMA).
Kutch, Jason
Associate Professor of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy
Dr. Kutch investigates how brain dysfunction contributes to chronic pelvic pain and other chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs). His current research is focused on developing non-invasive brain stimulation and immersive virtual reality approaches for augmenting chronic pain treatment.
