CELEBRATING
EXCELLENCE

USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute

Keck School of Medicine of USC

University of Southern California

323-44-BRAIN (323-442-7246)

A team led by Hosung Kim has discovered that the brains of people who experience severe physical impairment after a stroke may reorganize themselves in unexpected ways, showing signs of “younger” brain structure in undamaged regions as they adapt to injury. They analyzed brain scans from more than 500 stroke survivors across 34 research sites in eight countries. Using deep learning models trained on tens of thousands of MRI scans, the researchers estimated the “brain age” of different regions in each hemisphere to see how stroke damage affects brain structure and recovery.

New study identifies brain rewiring mechanism that may aid stroke recovery

The National Institutes of Health has renewed support for Artificial Intelligence for Alzheimer’s Disease, or AI4AD. Led by Paul M. Thompson, the multi-institutional initiative will develop artificial intelligence tools to uncover the biological causes of Alzheimer’s and related dementias, improve predictions of disease progression, and help develop more precise treatment options.

NIH investment totaling 30.7M will expand USC-led AI effort to decode Alzheimer’s disease

Subtle changes in how blood flows through the brain and how brain tissue uses oxygen may be closely linked to Alzheimer’s disease risk, according to new research from Amaryllis A. Tsiknia and Meredith Braskie. They found that noninvasive measures of brain blood flow and oxygenation were associated with hallmark brain changes in older adults with and without cognitive impairment, including amyloid buildup and a smaller hippocampus, a region essential for memory.

Novel markers of brain blood flow and oxygenation may offer early clues to Alzheimer’s risk

Mike Bienkowski has received a major grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate a long-standing mystery in Alzheimer’s disease: how does the loss of specific neurons in the hippocampus lead to the cognitive impairment seen in patients with Alzheimer’s? The five-year NIH R01 award will support the development of a powerful new cell type-specific multiscale model of the hippocampus, a brain region essential for memory formation that is among the first areas affected by Alzheimer’s.

New NIH grant to build a new model of hippocampal neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease

Koral V. Wheeler and Meredith Braskie identified important differences in how early Alzheimer’s disease-related brain changes appear across racial and ethnic groups, underscoring the need for more inclusive approaches to studying and diagnosing the disease. In a large, racially and ethnically diverse study of older adults without dementia, they found that Black and Hispanic participants showed higher levels of tau, a protein linked to Alzheimer’s, in key memory-related regions of the brain compared to non-Hispanic white participants, even before the buildup of amyloid plaques typically associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

New study reveals differences in early Alzheimer’s brain markers across diverse populations

Paul M. Thompson has been installed as the inaugural Popovich Chair in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, recognizing his global impact on brain research and work spanning disciplines from ophthalmology to computational biology. The Hoffman and Popovich families made a $5 million gift to establish this position, bolstering our leadership in brain research. This generous gift will accelerate breakthroughs in early detection, biomarkers, and collaborative data sharing—building on our deep archives and AI-enabled platforms.

We are proud to celebrate several Stevens INI faculty members on their recent promotions. These well-earned distinctions reflect their outstanding scholarship, leadership, and contributions to advancing neuroscience. Congratulations to each of them on this exciting and meaningful achievement!

Tyler Ard

Associate Professor of Research Neurology

Neda Jahanshad

Professor of Neurology and Biomedical Engineering

Hosung Kim

Associate Professor of Research Neurology and

Biomedical Engineering

Yonggang Shi

Professor of Neurology, Biomedical Engineering,

and Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Transmitter’s new list of the most-cited neuroscience papers from the past 30 years ranks a landmark PNAS study co-authored by Stevens INI Director Arthur W. Toga and Associate Director Paul M. Thompson.

Every year, USC’s Neuroscience Graduate Program recognizes one faculty member with the Bosco Tjan Mentorship Award. In 2026, our faculty member Chris Ching won the honor. This award reflects Dr. Ching’s exceptional commitment to mentoring students with generosity, insight, and care. We are proud to see his impact on the next generation of neuroscientists recognized in this meaningful way.

We are proud to share that Mike Bienkowski has been named a 2026 USC Mentoring Award for Faculty Mentoring Graduate Students recipient. Selected by fellow USC mentors, this distinguished honor recognizes faculty members who go above and beyond to support students and create an engaging, supportive, and inclusive academic environment. It is a meaningful reflection of Dr. Bienkowski’s dedication to mentorship and his impact on the next generation of scientists.

Congratulations!

NAARE summer scholars present at national under-graduate research conference

Several NAARE summer scholars recently attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, where they presented posters highlighting their research experiences and scientific growth. Their participation reflects the program’s commitment to providing undergraduate students meaningful opportunities to build research skills, share their work, and engage with the broader scientific community.

Occidental College students visit the Stevens INI

We were pleased to welcome students from Occidental College’s Computational Neuroscience course for two afternoon visits to the Stevens INI. During their time with us, students learned more about the science taking place across the institute and gained a closer look at how neuroimaging, informatics, and computational methods are used to better understand the brain.

NIIN students continue to gain practical experience with the tools and techniques that drive modern neuroimaging and neuroscience research. Recent hands-on training included MRI data analysis and wet-lab work, including mounting brain slices for microscopy, providing students with valuable exposure to both computational and laboratory-based approaches to studying the brain.

Check out our new Center for Integrative Connectomics (CIC) website!

CIC Director Mike Bienkowski and his team investigate why specific brain cell types are vulnerable to neurodegenerative disease. This work aims to identify therapeutic targets and improve patient outcomes.

You can also learn more about the CIC in this Lab Spotlight from Precisionary!

How AI and advanced computing are accelerating Alzheimer’s research

Cutting-edge technologies developed by USC researchers are changing not only the pace of Alzheimer’s disease discoveries but also the ways scientists make them. Learn more about how we make USC a powerhouse for Alzheimer’s research.

Hands-on training prepares NIIN students for real-world neuro-
science research

Keck School of Medicine of USC

University of Southern California

323-44-BRAIN (323-442-7246)

A team led by Hosung Kim has discovered that the brains of people who experience severe physical impairment after a stroke may reorganize themselves in unexpected ways, showing signs of “younger” brain structure in undamaged regions as they adapt to injury. They analyzed brain scans from more than 500 stroke survivors across 34 research sites in eight countries. Using deep learning models trained on tens of thousands of MRI scans, the researchers estimated the “brain age” of different regions in each hemisphere to see how stroke damage affects brain structure and recovery.

New study identifies brain rewiring mechanism that may aid stroke recovery

The National Institutes of Health has renewed support for Artificial Intelligence for Alzheimer’s Disease, or AI4AD. Led by Paul M. Thompson, the multi-institutional initiative will develop artificial intelligence tools to uncover the biological causes of Alzheimer’s and related dementias, improve predictions of disease progression, and help develop more precise treatment options.

NIH investment totaling 30.7M will expand USC-led AI effort to decode Alzheimer’s disease

Subtle changes in how blood flows through the brain and how brain tissue uses oxygen may be closely linked to Alzheimer’s disease risk, according to new research from Amaryllis A. Tsiknia and Meredith Braskie. They found that noninvasive measures of brain blood flow and oxygenation were associated with hallmark brain changes in older adults with and without cognitive impairment, including amyloid buildup and a smaller hippocampus, a region essential for memory.

Novel markers of brain blood flow and oxygenation may offer early clues to Alzheimer’s risk

Mike Bienkowski has received a major grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate a long-standing mystery in Alzheimer’s disease: how does the loss of specific neurons in the hippocampus lead to the cognitive impairment seen in patients with Alzheimer’s? The five-year NIH R01 award will support the development of a powerful new cell type-specific multiscale model of the hippocampus, a brain region essential for memory formation that is among the first areas affected by Alzheimer’s.

New NIH grant to build a new model of hippocampal neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease

Koral V. Wheeler and Meredith Braskie identified important differences in how early Alzheimer’s disease-related brain changes appear across racial and ethnic groups, underscoring the need for more inclusive approaches to studying and diagnosing the disease. In a large, racially and ethnically diverse study of older adults without dementia, they found that Black and Hispanic participants showed higher levels of tau, a protein linked to Alzheimer’s, in key memory-related regions of the brain compared to non-Hispanic white participants, even before the buildup of amyloid plaques typically associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

New study reveals differences in early Alzheimer’s brain markers across diverse populations

Paul M. Thompson has been installed as the inaugural Popovich Chair in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, recognizing his global impact on brain research and work spanning disciplines from ophthalmology to computational biology. The Hoffman and Popovich families made a $5 million gift to establish this position, bolstering our leadership in brain research. This generous gift will accelerate breakthroughs in early detection, biomarkers, and collaborative data sharing—building on our deep archives and AI-enabled platforms.

We are proud to celebrate several Stevens INI faculty members on their recent promotions. These well-earned distinctions reflect their outstanding scholarship, leadership, and contributions to advancing neuroscience. Congratulations to each of them on this exciting and meaningful achievement!

The Transmitter’s new list of the most-cited neuroscience papers from the past 30 years ranks a landmark PNAS study co-authored by Stevens INI Director Arthur W. Toga and Associate Director Paul M. Thompson.

Every year, USC’s Neuroscience Graduate Program recognizes one faculty member with the Bosco Tjan Mentorship Award. In 2026, our faculty member Chris Ching won the honor. This award reflects Dr. Ching’s exceptional commitment to mentoring students with generosity, insight, and care. We are proud to see his impact on the next generation of neuroscientists recognized in this meaningful way.

We are proud to share that Mike Bienkowski has been named a 2026 USC Mentoring Award for Faculty Mentoring Graduate Students recipient. Selected by fellow USC mentors, this distinguished honor recognizes faculty members who go above and beyond to support students and create an engaging, supportive, and inclusive academic environment. It is a meaningful reflection of Dr. Bienkowski’s dedication to mentorship and his impact on the next generation of scientists.

Congratulations!

NAARE summer scholars present at national

under-graduate research conference

Several NAARE summer scholars recently attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, where they presented posters highlighting their research experiences and scientific growth. Their participation reflects the program’s commitment to providing undergraduate students meaningful opportunities to build research skills, share their work, and engage with the broader scientific community.

Occidental College students visit the Stevens INI

We were pleased to welcome students from Occidental College’s Computational Neuroscience course for two afternoon visits to the Stevens INI. During their time with us, students learned more about the science taking place across the institute and gained a closer look at how neuroimaging, informatics, and computational methods are used to better understand the brain.

NIIN students continue to gain practical experience with the tools and techniques that drive modern neuroimaging and neuroscience research. Recent hands-on training included MRI data analysis and wet-lab work, including mounting brain slices for microscopy, providing students with valuable exposure to both computational and laboratory-based approaches to studying the brain.

Check out our new Center for Integrative Connectomics (CIC) website!

CIC Director Mike Bienkowski and his team investigate why specific brain cell types are vulnerable to neurodegenerative disease. This work aims to identify therapeutic targets and improve patient outcomes.

You can also learn more about the CIC in this Lab Spotlight from Precisionary!

How AI and advanced computing are accelerating Alzheimer’s research

Cutting-edge technologies developed by USC researchers are changing not only the pace of Alzheimer’s disease discoveries but also the ways scientists make them. Learn more about how we make USC a powerhouse for Alzheimer’s research.

Hands-on training prepares NIIN students for

real-world neuroscience research

Tyler Ard

Associate Professor of Research Neurology

Hosung Kim

Associate Professor of Research Neurology and Biomedical Engineering

Neda Jahanshad

Professor of Neurology and Biomedical Engineering

Yonggang Shi

Professor of Neurology, Biomedical Engineering,
and Electrical and Computer Engineering

USC Mark and Mary Stevens

Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute

Keck School of Medicine of USC

University of Southern California

323-44-BRAIN (323-442-7246)

A team led by Hosung Kim has discovered that the brains of people who experience severe physical impairment after a stroke may reorganize themselves in unexpected ways, showing signs of “younger” brain structure in undamaged regions as they adapt to injury. They analyzed brain scans from more than 500 stroke survivors across 34 research sites in eight countries. Using deep learning models trained on tens of thousands of MRI scans, the researchers estimated the “brain age” of different regions in each hemisphere to see how stroke damage affects brain structure and recovery.

New study identifies brain rewiring mechanism

that may aid stroke recovery

The National Institutes of Health has renewed support for Artificial Intelligence for Alzheimer’s Disease, or AI4AD. Led by Paul M. Thompson, the multi-institutional initiative will develop artificial intelligence tools to uncover the biological causes of Alzheimer’s and related dementias, improve predictions of disease progression, and help develop more precise treatment options.

NIH investment totaling 30.7M will expand USC-led

AI effort to decode Alzheimer’s disease

Subtle changes in how blood flows through the brain and how brain tissue uses oxygen may be closely linked to Alzheimer’s disease risk, according to new research from Amaryllis A. Tsiknia and Meredith Braskie. They found that noninvasive measures of brain blood flow and oxygenation were associated with hallmark brain changes in older adults with and without cognitive impairment, including amyloid buildup and a smaller hippocampus, a region essential for memory.

Novel markers of brain blood flow and oxygenation

may offer early clues to Alzheimer’s risk

Mike Bienkowski has received a major grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate a long-standing mystery in Alzheimer’s disease: how does the loss of specific neurons in the hippocampus lead to the cognitive impairment seen in patients with Alzheimer’s? The five-year NIH R01 award will support the development of a powerful new cell type-specific multiscale model of the hippocampus, a brain region essential for memory formation that is among the first areas affected by Alzheimer’s.

New NIH grant to build a new model of hippocampal neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease

Koral V. Wheeler and Meredith Braskie identified important differences in how early Alzheimer’s disease-related brain changes appear across racial and ethnic groups, underscoring the need for more inclusive approaches to studying and diagnosing the disease. In a large, racially and ethnically diverse study of older adults without dementia, they found that Black and Hispanic participants showed higher levels of tau, a protein linked to Alzheimer’s, in key memory-related regions of the brain compared to non-Hispanic white participants, even before the buildup of amyloid plaques typically associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

New study reveals differences in early Alzheimer’s

brain markers across diverse populations

Paul M. Thompson has been installed as the inaugural Popovich Chair in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, recognizing his global impact on brain research and work spanning disciplines from ophthalmology to computational biology. The Hoffman and Popovich families made a $5 million gift to establish this position, bolstering our leadership in brain research. This generous gift will accelerate breakthroughs in early detection, biomarkers, and collaborative data sharing—building on our deep archives and AI-enabled platforms.

We are proud to celebrate several Stevens INI faculty members on their recent promotions. These well-earned distinctions reflect their outstanding scholarship, leadership, and contributions to advancing neuroscience. Congratulations to each of them on this exciting and meaningful achievement!

The Transmitter’s new list of the most-cited neuroscience papers from the past 30 years ranks a landmark PNAS study co-authored by Stevens INI Director Arthur W. Toga and Associate Director Paul M. Thompson.

Every year, USC’s Neuroscience Graduate Program recognizes one faculty member with the Bosco Tjan Mentorship Award. In 2026, our faculty member Chris Ching won the honor. This award reflects Dr. Ching’s exceptional commitment to mentoring students with generosity, insight, and care. We are proud to see his impact on the next generation of neuroscientists recognized in this meaningful way.

We are proud to share that Mike Bienkowski has been named a 2026 USC Mentoring Award for Faculty Mentoring Graduate Students recipient. Selected by fellow USC mentors, this distinguished honor recognizes faculty members who go above and beyond to support students and create an engaging, supportive, and inclusive academic environment. It is a meaningful reflection of Dr. Bienkowski’s dedication to mentorship and his impact on the next generation of scientists.

Congratulations!

NAARE summer scholars present at national

under-graduate research conference

Several NAARE summer scholars recently attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, where they presented posters highlighting their research experiences and scientific growth. Their participation reflects the program’s commitment to providing undergraduate students meaningful opportunities to build research skills, share their work, and engage with the broader scientific community.

Occidental College students visit the Stevens INI

We were pleased to welcome students from Occidental College’s Computational Neuroscience course for two afternoon visits to the Stevens INI. During their time with us, students learned more about the science taking place across the institute and gained a closer look at how neuroimaging, informatics, and computational methods are used to better understand the brain.

NIIN students continue to gain practical experience with the tools and techniques that drive modern neuroimaging and neuroscience research. Recent hands-on training included MRI data analysis and wet-lab work, including mounting brain slices for microscopy, providing students with valuable exposure to both computational and laboratory-based approaches to studying the brain.

Check out our new Center for Integrative

Connectomics (CIC) website!

CIC Director Mike Bienkowski and his team investigate why specific brain cell types are vulnerable to neurodegenerative disease. This work aims to identify therapeutic targets and improve patient outcomes.

You can also learn more about the CIC in this Lab Spotlight from Precisionary!

How AI and advanced computing are accelerating Alzheimer’s research

Cutting-edge technologies developed by USC researchers are changing not only the pace of Alzheimer’s disease discoveries but also the ways scientists make them. Learn more about how we make USC a powerhouse for Alzheimer’s research.

Hands-on training prepares NIIN students for

real-world neuroscience research

Tyler Ard

Associate Professor of

Research Neurology

Neda Jahanshad

Professor of Neurology

and Biomedical Engineering

Hosung Kim

Associate Professor of Research Neurology

and Biomedical Engineering

Yonggang Shi

Professor of Neurology, Biomedical Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

USC Mark and Mary Stevens

Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute

Keck School of Medicine of USC

University of Southern California

323-44-BRAIN (323-442-7246)

A team led by Hosung Kim has discovered that the brains of people who experience severe physical impairment after a stroke may reorganize themselves in unexpected ways, showing signs of “younger” brain structure in undamaged regions as they adapt to injury. They analyzed brain scans from more than 500 stroke survivors across 34 research sites in eight countries. Using deep learning models trained on tens of thousands of MRI scans, the researchers estimated the “brain age” of different regions in each hemisphere to see how stroke damage affects brain structure and recovery.

New study identifies brain rewiring mechanism that may aid stroke recovery

The National Institutes of Health has renewed support for Artificial Intelligence for Alzheimer’s Disease, or AI4AD. Led by Paul M. Thompson, the multi-institutional initiative will develop artificial intelligence tools to uncover the biological causes of Alzheimer’s and related dementias, improve predictions of disease progression, and help develop more precise treatment options.

NIH investment totaling 30.7M will expand USC-led AI effort to decode Alzheimer’s disease

Subtle changes in how blood flows through the brain and how brain tissue uses oxygen may be closely linked to Alzheimer’s disease risk, according to new research from Amaryllis A. Tsiknia and Meredith Braskie. They found that noninvasive measures of brain blood flow and oxygenation were associated with hallmark brain changes in older adults with and without cognitive impairment, including amyloid buildup and a smaller hippocampus, a region essential for memory.

Novel markers of brain blood flow and oxygenation may offer early clues to Alzheimer’s risk

Mike Bienkowski has received a major grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate a long-standing mystery in Alzheimer’s disease: how does the loss of specific neurons in the hippocampus lead to the cognitive impairment seen in patients with Alzheimer’s? The five-year NIH R01 award will support the development of a powerful new cell type-specific multiscale model of the hippocampus, a brain region essential for memory formation that is among the first areas affected by Alzheimer’s.

New NIH grant to build a new model of hippocampal neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease

Koral V. Wheeler and Meredith Braskie identified important differences in how early Alzheimer’s disease-related brain changes appear across racial and ethnic groups, underscoring the need for more inclusive approaches to studying and diagnosing the disease. In a large, racially and ethnically diverse study of older adults without dementia, they found that Black and Hispanic participants showed higher levels of tau, a protein linked to Alzheimer’s, in key memory-related regions of the brain compared to non-Hispanic white participants, even before the buildup of amyloid plaques typically associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

New study reveals differences in early Alzheimer’s brain markers across diverse populations

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

Paul M. Thompson has been installed as the inaugural Popovich Chair in Neurodegenerative Diseases at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, recognizing his global impact on brain research and work spanning disciplines from ophthalmology to computational biology. The Hoffman and Popovich families made a $5 million gift to establish this position, bolstering our leadership in brain research. This generous gift will accelerate breakthroughs in early detection, biomarkers, and collaborative data sharing—building on our deep archives and AI-enabled platforms.

We are proud to celebrate several Stevens INI faculty members on their recent promotions. These well-earned distinctions reflect their outstanding scholarship, leadership, and contributions to advancing neuroscience. Congratulations to each of them on this exciting and meaningful achievement!

Tyler Ard

Associate Professor of Research Neurology

Neda Jahanshad

Professor of Neurology and Biomedical Engineering

Hosung Kim

Associate Professor of Research Neurology and

Biomedical Engineering

Yonggang Shi

Professor of Neurology, Biomedical Engineering, and

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Transmitter’s new list of the most-cited neuroscience papers from the past 30 years ranks a landmark PNAS study co-authored by Stevens INI Director Arthur W. Toga and Associate Director Paul M. Thompson.

Every year, USC’s Neuroscience Graduate Program recognizes one faculty member with the Bosco Tjan Mentorship Award. In 2026, our faculty member Chris Ching won the honor. This award reflects Dr. Ching’s exceptional commitment to mentoring students with generosity, insight, and care. We are proud to see his impact on the next generation of neuroscientists recognized in this meaningful way.

We are proud to share that Mike Bienkowski has been named a 2026 USC Mentoring Award for Faculty Mentoring Graduate Students recipient. Selected by fellow USC mentors, this distinguished honor recognizes faculty members who go above and beyond to support students and create an engaging, supportive, and inclusive academic environment. It is a meaningful reflection of Dr. Bienkowski’s dedication to mentorship and his impact on the next generation of scientists.

Congratulations!

NAARE summer scholars present at national under-graduate research conference

Several NAARE summer scholars recently attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, where they presented posters highlighting their research experiences and scientific growth. Their participation reflects the program’s commitment to providing undergraduate students meaningful opportunities to build research skills, share their work, and engage with the broader scientific community.

Occidental College students visit

the Stevens INI

We were pleased to welcome students from Occidental College’s Computational Neuroscience course for two afternoon visits to the Stevens INI. During their time with us, students learned more about the science taking place across the institute and gained a closer look at how neuroimaging, informatics, and computational methods are used to better understand the brain.

NIIN students continue to gain practical experience with the tools and techniques that drive modern neuroimaging and neuroscience research. Recent hands-on training included MRI data analysis and wet-lab work, including mounting brain slices for microscopy, providing students with valuable exposure to both computational and laboratory-based approaches to studying the brain.

Check out our new Center for Integrative

Connectomics (CIC) website!

CIC Director Mike Bienkowski and his team investigate why specific brain cell types are vulnerable to neurodegenerative disease. This work aims to identify therapeutic targets and improve patient outcomes.

You can also learn more about the CIC in this Lab Spotlight from Precisionary!

How AI and advanced computing are

accelerating Alzheimer’s research

Cutting-edge technologies developed by USC researchers are changing not only the pace of Alzheimer’s disease discoveries but also the ways scientists make them. Learn more about how we make USC a powerhouse for Alzheimer’s research.

Hands-on training prepares NIIN students for real-world neuroscience research

We’re thrilled to be represented with the Keck School of Medicine of USC and our individual faculty members in the 2025 Blue Ridge Rankings for NIH funding. Widely regarded as a leading benchmark of research competitiveness and impact, the Blue Ridge Rankings highlight the institutions and investigators securing the federal support needed to drive scientific discovery and innovation.