Hiring spree

UF Health attracts top
neuroscientists to join team

SINCE APRIL, THREE RENOWNED NEUROSCIENTISTS AND A DISTINGUISHED PHYSICIAN-SCIENTIST from top U.S. and Canadian research institutions have joined the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UF Health. “As the first wave of hires enabled by the generous gift from the Fixels join our ranks, I think we truly hit it out of the park,” said Todd Golde, MD, PhD, director of UF’s Evelyn F. and William L. McKnight Brain Institute.

Matthew Farrer, PhD

New Roles: Endowed Fixel Chair, director of the Clinical Genomics Program and a professor of neurology

Previous Roles: Director of the Centre for Applied Neurogenetics and a professor of medical genetics at the University of British Columbia

Research Focus: Expanding the genetic understanding of neurological conditions to predict and prevent them

Matthew LaVoie, PhD

New Roles: Endowed Fixel Chair, co-director of UF’s Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, a professor and associate chair of research in the department of neurology, and professor of neuroscience

Previous Roles: An associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and associate scientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Research Focus: Uncovering the early molecular patterns responsible for the unique neuropathology associated with Parkinson’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders

Malú G. Tansey, PhD

New Roles: Endowed Fixel Chair, director of UF’s Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease, and a professor of neuroscience and neurology

Previous Roles: Director of the Center for Neurodysfunction and Inflammation and a professor of physiology at Emory University School of Medicine

Research Focus: Investigating the role of inflammation and immune system responses in brain health and the development of disease

Stefan Prokop, MD

New Roles: Fixel Scholar, director of UF Neuromedicine Brain Bank and an assistant professor of pathology, immunology and laboratory medicine and also of neurology

Previous Roles: Neuropathology fellow and research fellow at the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

Research Focus: Detailing disease processes of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s using microscopic study, image analysis and analysis of gene expression and protein biochemistry