By: Grace Huff
At the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, discovery begins with people and with the time and support to pursue bold ideas. This year, through a transformative $2.8 million pledge from a longtime UF supporter, the Fixel Institute is empowering early-career researchers across three colleges to do just that.
The Fixel Institute Early Researcher Catalyst Awards provide protected research time for emerging clinician-scientists and investigators to develop innovative projects that advance the understanding and treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. The awards are designed to “catalyze” collaboration across UF’s academic community while nurturing the next generation of discovery.
The philanthropic investment supports faculty from the College of Medicine, College of Public Health and Health Professions (PHHP), and the College of Health and Human Performance (HHP) who are studying movement disorders, dementia, ALS and other Fixel-related diseases.
Recognizing the strength and potential of the applications, the Fixel Institute contributed additional funds to expand the program, allowing even more early-career scientists to benefit. Together, this support has created an unprecedented opportunity for collaboration and academic growth across disciplines.
Across UF, deans and academic leaders are celebrating the significance of the Catalyst Awards and the transformative power of this gift.
“The Catalyst Awards are a wonderful reflection of what’s possible when we invest in collaboration across disciplines,” said Beth Virnig, Ph.D., M.P.H., dean of PHHP. “This partnership provides necessary resources for our outstanding junior faculty to advance innovative patient-centered research that directly improves lives.”
“We’re incredibly proud to see so many of our faculty recognized through the Catalyst Awards,” said Jennifer Hunt, M.D., M.Ed., interim dean of the College of Medicine. “The Fixel Institute’s support gives our researchers the time and tools to explore bold ideas that may change how we understand and treat neurological disease.”
“Catalyst Awards stimulate collaboration across UF colleges, drive innovative research, and accelerate novel treatments that benefit patients with neurological and neurodegenerative disease,” said Michael Reid, Ph.D., dean of HHP. “On behalf of our college, I thank the Fixel Institute for their ongoing commitment to excellence in this critical field of biomedicine.”
Eleven outstanding UF faculty members were selected as 2025 Catalyst Award recipients, representing six departments across three colleges:
- College of Medicine: Jackson Cagle, Ph.D.; John Yu, M.D., MS; Naueen Chaudhry, M.D.; Maira de Oliveira Sarpi, M.D.; Jesse Cohen, M.D.; Manuel Amaris, M.D.; Lauren Fanty, M.D., MPH; Matthew Remz, M.D.
- College of Public Health and Health Professions: Franchesca Arias, Ph.D.; Breton Asken, Ph.D., ATC
- College of Health and Human Performance: Diego Guarin, Ph.D.; Bradley Wilkes, Ph.D.
Each recipient is exploring a different frontier of neuroscience from understanding how sleep disruption affects Parkinson’s disease to developing tools that personalize deep brain stimulation and beyond.
“Receiving the Fixel Catalyst Award is a tremendous honor that empowers my research at the intersection of technology and patient care,” said Jackson Cagle, Ph.D. “The protected time and cross-college collaboration will accelerate our efforts to use wearable data to personalize deep-brain-stimulation programming.”
“The Fixel Catalyst Award is providing me time and mentorship at a crucial juncture in my career,” said Jesse Cohen, M.D. “This support enables me to grow my patient cohort focused on the causes and consequences of sleep disruption in Parkinson’s disease.”
The Catalyst Awards reflect UF’s belief that innovation thrives when early-career investigators are given the resources, mentorship and support to pursue bold ideas. This philanthropic gift, combined with Fixel Institute leadership, creates a foundation for long-term impact, advancing discovery, strengthening interdisciplinary research and improving the lives of patients with neurological conditions.
“This partnership highlights our shared belief in the power of people and ideas,” said Michael Okun, M.D., Director of the Fixel Institute, “By supporting early-career investigators, we are investing in the future of medicine and in the patients we serve.”
As the Catalyst Awards continue over the next five years, their reach will grow, fueling collaborations, expanding opportunities and shaping the future of neuroscience at the University of Florida.