University of Florida, USA
Brandon Lucke-Wold was born and raised in Colorado Springs, CO. He graduated magna cum laude with a BS in Neuroscience and distinction in honors from Baylor University. He completed his MD/PhD, Master’s in Clinical and Translational Research, and the Global Health Track at West Virginia University School of Medicine. His research focus was on traumatic brain injury, neurosurgical simulation, and stroke. At West Virginia University, he also served as a health coach for the Diabetes Prevention and Management program in Morgantown and Charleston, WV, which significantly improved health outcomes for participants. In addition to his research and public health projects, he is a co-founder of the biotechnology company SwiftScience, the pharmaceutical company ProPhos Neuroscience, and was a science advocate on Capitol Hill through the Washington Fellow’s program.
He has also served as president of the WVU chapters for the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, Neurosurgery Interest group, and Erlenmeyer Initiative Entrepreneur group. In addition, he has served as vice president for the graduate student neuroscience interest group, Nu Rho Psi Honor Society, and medical students for global health. He was an active member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He is currently Vice President of the UF House Staff Council, Chair of the Quality Improvement Committee, on the Board of Directors for the Alachua County Medical Society, and active member of Institutional Review Committee and Accreditation Requirements Review Committee. He is married to Noelle Lucke-Wold and has two children. As a family, they enjoy running with their dogs, rock climbing, and traveling. In his spare time, Brandon frequently runs half marathons and 10ks together with is wife. Brandon also enjoys reading, playing piano, discussing philosophy, and playing chess. He is currently a Pgy6 neurosurgery resident at University of Florida with pursuing endovascular enfolded training and was awarded the Dempsey Cerebrovascular Research Fellowship, SNS Fellowship, Van Wagenen Fellowship, R25 Grant, and SNIS Fellowship.
McGill University, Canada
Austen Milnerwood’s research centers on cell biological, electrophysiological and optical investigation of neural development, connectivity, transmission and plasticity. With a major focus on the early pathophysiology of adult-onset diseases such as movement disorders and dementia, his laboratory aims to develop neuroprotective treatments. Our projects include behavioural studies in rodents, electrophysiology and cell biology in acute brain slices, primary neuronal co-cultures and patient stem cell-derived neuron models.
A strong theme has emerged from studying several proteins harbouring mutations that are autosomal dominantly linked to Parkinson’s disease, in other words, genes transmitted down the family line that are highly predictive for developing PD. There are several proteins that cause “familial PD,” e.g. LRRK2, VPS35 and synuclein. Milnerwood’s laboratory is finding that these proteins are involved in the same cellular functions. By learning more about what these proteins are supposed to do and what goes wrong with the mutations present, Milnerwood hopes to work out the common neuronal dysfunction of many forms of parkinsonism and then develop appropriate treatments.
Working out how neuronal function goes awry early in disease states can help to intervene and possibly to prevent the onset or progression of degenerative processes. The world’s population is aging. By 2025, half of the population may be over 60 years old, and up to 2% might have Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. There is a pressing societal and financial need to learn more about, and to better treat, human neurodegenerative disease.
University of Maryland, Maryland
Assistant Professor (Johns Hopkins, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Neuorlogy and Neuroscience)
Associate Investigator HHMI
Associate Professor (part time) Johns Hopkins (Neurology and Neuroscience)
Branch Chief and Acting Scientific Director NIH (NIDA)
Professor (part time then adjunct) Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Putlic Health (Neurology, Neuroscience, Mental Health), University of New Mexico (Neurology, Neuroscience, Molecular Biology and Genetics)
Neurologist, Chief of Neurology, Associate Chief of Staff for Research (New Mexico VA Healthcare System, VA Maryland Healthcare System)
Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine (Neurology, Pharmacology)
