Derek Doss, a biomedical engineering MD-PhD student and Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering affiliate, has received a Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Doss works with his mentor Dario Englot, associate professor of neurological nurgery, radiology and radiological sciences, and biomedical engineering, in the Brain Imaging and Electrophysiology (BIEN) Lab.
“Derek’s research uses both neuroimaging and electrophysiology to understand the effects of seizures on consciousness and cognition in people with epilepsy, and it will lead to improved care in this disorder,” Englot said. “We are very proud of him for receiving this prestigious award.”
Doss is co-mentored by Victoria Morgan, professor of radiology and radiological sciences, neurology and biomedical engineering (Morgan Lab). Englot and Morgan are VISE affiliates and frequently collaborate with other engineering faculty and graduate students.
“Though it is assumed that seizures cause long lasting physiological, behavioral and cognitive effects, Derek’s project is unique in its goal to directly identify the link between the seizures and their long-term consequences,” Morgan said.
The grant, Dynamic multimodal connectivity analysis of brain networks in focal epilepsy, will support Doss’ research into improving understanding of loss of consciousness during seizures and long-term cognitive deficits that can affect people with focal epilepsy.
The National Research Service Award provides training fellowships to promising applicants with the potential to become productive, independent investigators in its scientific mission areas. The fellowship supports the research training of exceptional predoctoral students for up to three years leading to a PhD or a combined MD-PhD degree.