Louise D. McCullough

Dr. Louise McCullough is Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth Houston). She holds the Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Distinguished Chair and serves as Associate Vice President for Research and Co-Director of UTHealth Neurosciences. Dr. McCullough is also the Founder and Director of the BRAINS Research Laboratory.

Dr. McCullough received her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of Connecticut, followed by her Medical Degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. She completed her Neurology Residency and Cerebrovascular Disease Fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. Prior to joining UTHealth Houston, she was a Professor in the Departments of Neurology and Neuroscience at The University of Connecticut Health Center and John Dempsey Hospital, and Director of Stroke Research and Education at Hartford Hospital.

Dr. McCullough is a nationally recognized physician-scientist specializing in cerebral vascular disease. Her laboratory investigates sex and age differences in inflammatory signaling after stroke, with particular focus on how social isolation affects stroke recovery and how age-related inflammation influences brain injury. Her research also explores manipulation of the microbiome to improve stroke outcomes in aging populations. Recent publications demonstrate continued innovation in understanding the gut-brain axis in stroke and sex-specific mechanisms of neuronal injury.

Dr. McCullough has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association, resulting in over 275 publications in high-impact journals. Her recent work has appeared in Cell, Circulation Research, and Stroke, demonstrating sustained research productivity and impact across multiple domains of stroke research.

Her scientific achievements have been recognized with numerous honors, including:

• The prestigious Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Recognition as one of "America's Top Doctors" since 2008
• Fellowship in the American Heart Association (FAHA)
• Membership in eight professional societies, including the American Heart Association and the American Academy of Neurology

As an educator, Dr. McCullough is passionate about mentoring students and nurturing junior scientists. She currently advises multiple postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research assistants in the BRAINS Research Laboratory. Her lab offers research opportunities through the BRAINS Summer Research Program and provides training in stroke mechanisms, neuroinflammation, gut-brain axis research, and sex differences in neurological disorders. The laboratory maintains multiple core facilities including Behavioral, Cell Culture, Histology, and Surgical Cores to support diverse research projects.

The BRAINS Research Laboratory has multiple core facilities to support research, including Behavioral, Cell Culture, Histology, and Surgical Cores. The lab maintains active collaborations with other research groups at UTHealth Houston and beyond, creating a rich environment for interdisciplinary neuroscience research focused on understanding and improving stroke outcomes through innovative approaches to neuroprotection and recovery.