Sule Tinaz

Sule Tinaz, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Neurology at Yale School of Medicine specializing in movement disorders, with particular expertise in Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. She directs the Tinaz Lab within the Clinical Neurosciences Imaging Center and is affiliated with multiple research centers including the Yale Center for Experimental Neuroimaging, the Center for Brain & Mind Health, and the Movement Disorders Program.

Dr. Tinaz's educational background includes:

• MD from Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine (1998)
• PhD in Neuroscience from Boston University Program in Neuroscience (2007)
• Internship at Albert Einstein College of Medicine Montefiore Medical Center (2007)
• Residency in Neurology at Boston University Medical Center (2010)
• Fellowship at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Human Motor Control Section (2015)

Her research focuses on understanding brain changes in movement disorders using advanced neuroimaging techniques including magnetic resonance imaging, dopamine transporter scans, and positron emission tomography. She is particularly interested in investigating brain plasticity changes in response to mental training and physical exercise in Parkinson's disease patients. Her work bridges clinical neurology with cutting-edge neuroimaging to develop novel therapeutic approaches.

Analysis of Dr. Tinaz's recent publications (2018-2024) reveals a strong focus on neuroimaging biomarkers for Parkinson's disease, particularly examining dopamine transporter availability, synaptic density changes, and the effects of exercise on neurodegeneration. Her research increasingly incorporates advanced computational methods including machine learning for early disease detection and employs multimodal imaging approaches to understand both motor and cognitive manifestations of movement disorders.

Dr. Tinaz has received significant recognition for her work:

• NINDS R21 Award: Imaging Biomarkers of Exercise-Induced Brain Changes in Parkinson's Disease (2020)
• NINDS K23 Mentored Career Development Award (2019)
• KL2 Mentored Career Development Award (2018)
• YCCI Scholar Award CTSA (2017)
• NINDS Intramural Competitive Fellowship Award (2012)

As a clinician-scientist, Dr. Tinaz serves as Principal Investigator for the Cognitive Training in Parkinson's Disease trial (HIC ID 2000033352) with primary completion date of 12/31/2027, and as Sub Investigator for multiple other Parkinson's disease studies including Ketamine for Depression in Parkinson's Disease and Imaging the Dopamine Transporter in Parkinson's Disease. Her research program is supported by consistent NIH funding reflecting the significance of her work in understanding and treating movement disorders.

The Tinaz Lab is embedded within Yale's robust neuroscience infrastructure, collaborating closely with the Yale PET Center, Clinical Neurosciences Imaging Center, and Movement Disorders Program. Her team employs a multidisciplinary approach combining clinical neurology, advanced neuroimaging, and computational analysis to investigate the brain basis of motor, behavioral, and cognitive symptoms in Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders.