Congratulations to BME PhD candidate, Jonathan Shute, who was awarded an NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke T32 Predoctoral Fellowship on Interdisciplinary Training in Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration! 

Jonathan studies the underlying neurophysiology of Tourette Syndrome and is engineering improved therapies under the supervision of Dr. Aysegul Gunduz. He is one of four students selected for the fellowship. 

The goal of this new predoctoral T32 program, co-directed by Dr. Dawn Bowers and BME affiliate Dr. David Vaillancourt, is to develop independent investigators with programs of research in movement disorders that focus on the ABC’S of translational research: aetiology, biomarkers/endophenotypes, and causative and symptom based therapies. Key features of this program involve research training of clinical and basic scientists, with emphasis on across-disciplinary interactions among the trainees. Doing so fosters development of cross-boundary research questions and exposure to diverse research approaches. 

Jonathan’s work has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of Tourette Syndrome in humans and move the field of deep brain stimulation clinical practice towards responsive and adaptive therapies.