Kumar Vaibhav

Kumar Vaibhav is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University. He also holds affiliations with The Graduate School, the College of Allied Health Sciences, and the Department of Undergraduate Health Professions. His academic appointment spans research, teaching, and institutional service across neuroscience, neuropharmacology, and neuroimmunology.

• Ph.D. in Toxicology, Hamdard University, 2013
• M.S. in Toxicology, Hamdard University, 2006
• B.Sc. in Chemistry, Vinoba Bhave University, 2002

His research focuses on the mechanistic underpinnings of traumatic brain injury (TBI), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and stroke, with emphasis on neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and therapeutic modulation via the cannabinoid system, metformin/AMPK, DNAse I, and remote ischemic conditioning. He investigates how these injuries lead to chronic neurological deficits and Alzheimer's-like dementia.

His recent publications highlight work on cannabidiol’s role in Alzheimer’s and glioblastoma, biomarkers in head trauma, and translational approaches to brain injury. The articles span neuroscience, neuropharmacology, molecular oncology, and neurodegeneration, with increasing focus on biomolecular condensates and endogenous repair mechanisms.

Scientific awards and recognitions include:

• R01 grant from NINDS/NIH (2020)
• AURI Emerging Scientist Award (2020)
• Outstanding Young Basic Science Faculty Award (2022)
• CURS Material and Travel Grant (2024)
• AURI Startup Funding (2020)

He mentors undergraduate, graduate, and medical students in research, serves on institutional committees (IACUC, Faculty Senate, Admissions MMI), and contributes to editorial boards of Frontiers in Neuroscience and Biomed (MDPI). He has taught courses such as Nervous System & Neuroscience I, Undergraduate Research, and Advanced Topics in Neuroscience, and has been actively involved in public and professional service, including peer review for the American Heart Association and Rosetrees Trust (UK).

His lab continues to explore chronic systemic and local pathologies post-TBI and develop interventions targeting neurodegenerative progression.