Graham R. Huesmann

Graham R. Huesmann is a Research Assistant Professor in Molecular & Integrative Physiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He also holds Research Assistant Professor positions in Clinical Sciences and the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. As an Epileptologist/Neurologist at Carle Foundation Hospital, his clinical work intersects with his research on epilepsy mechanisms and Alzheimer’s disease overlaps.

Dr. Huesmann holds a B.S. from the University of Oregon (1993), a Ph.D. in Neuroscience (2005), and an M.D. (2007) from the UIUC Medical Scholars MD/PhD program. He completed Neurology residency at Massachusetts General Hospital/Brigham and Women’s Hospital (2008–2011), an Epilepsy Fellowship at MGH (2011–2013), and postdoctoral research on caspase-3 under Dr. Rudolph Tanzi at Harvard (2010–2013).

His research focuses on epileptogenesis mechanisms, particularly the role of caspase-3 in epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease overlap. Current projects investigate amyloid beta as a seizure biomarker and magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) for early epilepsy diagnosis. His lab explores translational approaches to improve epilepsy surgery timing and outcomes, preserving patients’ cognitive functions like short-term memory.

Recent publications span neuroimaging innovation, concussion epidemiology, and spinal surgery outcomes. His work bridges clinical neurology with basic science to address unmet needs in epilepsy treatment and biomarker development.

Dr. Huesmann’s campus roles include collaborations across departments and institutes, leveraging multidisciplinary teams to advance neurological disorder understanding.