Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute
A Decade of Discovery
In its first 10 years, the O’Donnell Brain Institute has grown from an ambitious concept – to overcome brain disease – into a vibrant research and clinical care center that is forging new frontiers in neuroscience and patient care. Every day our scientists, clinicians, and staff members are accelerating the pace of progress against conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, autism, epilepsy, stroke, and so much more.
Imagine a day when...
Alzheimer’s disease is a preventable condition.
A drug can be administered to repair a brain injury.
Brain stimulation speeds recovery after a stroke.
Depression can be halted in its earliest stages with patient-specific therapies.
The Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute recognizes that in order to solve the most challenging brain diseases, our work must be multidisciplinary. To achieve this, we integrate and leverage the strengths of multiple independent departments, centers, and divisions at UT Southwestern Medical Center. By bringing together clinical and basic researchers in a comprehensive Institute, we are fostering collaborations and providing resources that set the stage for progress and discovery as we work toward our vision of a future without brain disease.
Latest News
Parkinson's Foundation Impact Award
Sarah Shahmoradian, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Center for Alzheimer’s & Neurodegenerative Diseases and Department of Biophysics, received a Parkinson's Foundation 2025 Impact Award. The award recognizes her research on the development of molecular imaging tools for diagnosing and monitoring Parkinson’s disease.
New OBI Scholar program accepting applications
The OBI Scholars Program is recruiting early career scientists of ANY discipline whose research includes mechanistic studies that advance understanding of CNS disease & aging. Scholars receive a generous ~$3M recruitment package and lab space.
Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre Scholar Award
Rachel Bailey, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Pediatric Neurology and in the Center for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases, is a 2025 recipient of the Oxford-Harrington Rare Disease Centre Scholar Award. The awards advance promising discoveries from research labs into clinical practice.
Director’s Message
Solving brain disease is going to take everyone working together – the person studying molecules in the lab, the clinician understanding a patient’s symptoms, the staff caring for the patient, and everyone in between. We’re committed to that collaborative journey and confident of the outcome.”
Removing Barriers Between
Discovery and Care
At the O’Donnell Brain Institute, researchers and clinicians work closely together, by design. Combining basic and translational research with advanced clinical care produces scientific breakthroughs that can move from the labs to patients in the clinic faster than ever.
Expertise and Innovation
The O’Donnell Brain Institute has assembled brain scientists, neurosurgeons, neurologists, psychiatrists, radiologists, and specialists in rehabilitative medicine.
Their common goal: Discover and implement new and better ways to treat major forms of brain and spine diseases, and perhaps even prevent them in the future.
