Ihab Hajjar, M.D.
Primary Principal Investigator
Ihab Hajjar, M.D., is a Professor in the Department of Neurology and the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and in the Peter O'Donnell Jr. Brain Institute. He specializes in geriatric medicine, Alzheimer's disease, and hypertension. He holds the Pogue Family Distinguished University Chair in Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Research and Care, in Memory of Maurine and David Weigers McMullan.
Dr. Hajjar earned his medical degree at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio and gained advanced training through a fellowship in geriatric medicine and dementia at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in geriatric medicine and internal medicine, he joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2022. He previously served at Emory University as Medical Director of Integrated Memory Coordinated Care, Director of the Dementia Fellowship, and Co-Director of the Clinical Core and Research Education Component in the Goizueta Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
Dr. Hajjar is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American Geriatrics Society, and the Society of Geriatric Cardiology. He is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Society of Hypertension, the International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment, and the Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium.
Malik Obideen, M.D.
Lab Manager
Malik Obideen, M.D., is an accomplished physician and dedicated clinical researcher. After earning his medical degree from the University of Aleppo School of Medicine, he embarked on his medical career, specializing in neurology. Driven by a passion for clinical research, Dr. Obideen moved to the United States and joined Emory University Clinical in 2012. During his 11-year tenure there, he worked closely with the cardiology and neurology departments, focusing his research on mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia, dementia, memory, and cognitive impairment. Dr. Obideen’s expertise and contributions to the field led to his appointment as a lab manager at UTSW in 2023, where he continues his journey in clinical research. His unwavering dedication to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes has earned him respect within the research community and beyond.
Namatra Das, M.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Namrata Das, M.D., is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Neurology. She earned a doctorate degree in cognition and neuroscience at the University of Texas at Dallas in 2020. She was selected as NIDA T32 postdoc for neuroimaging in drug abuse at McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, followed by mental health and drug abuse research at CDRC, at UT Southwestern. Dr. Das is interested in exploring biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease and mental health. In her free time, she loves cooking and gardening.
Ifeanyichukwu Ozobu, M.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher
Ifeanylichukwu Ozobu, M.D., is active in the research surrounding the utilization of advanced artificial intelligence and its ability to assist in predicting the development of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Ozobu is excited to be part of the research that Dr. Hajjar is currently conducting and is thrilled to be a part of UT Southwestern.
Kexin Yu, Ph.D., M.S.W.
Assistant Professor
Kexin Yu, Ph.D., M.S.W., is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at UT Southwestern. Her work focuses on developing lifestyle interventions for delaying cognitive decline and enhancing older adults’ quality of life. She is investigating the underlying mechanisms that can explain the associations between social isolation, loneliness, and cognitive health.
Dr. Yu received her doctorate and master's degrees from the University of Southern California Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. She completed her postdoctoral training at the Oregon Health and Science University Department of Neurology and the Layton Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.
Brandon Henley, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Brandon Henley, Ph.D., is a Research Scientist at UT Southwestern, where he leads machine learning research in digital biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease detection. His work integrates signal processing, natural language processing, and deep learning to analyze speech and physiological data for early diagnosis of cognitive decline. Previously, he conducted biomedical research at Emory University and USC, with a focus on cerebral hemodynamics and neurovascular function.
Joey Yang
Biostatistician Consultant II
Joey Yang received his Master of Science in Applied Statistics from Pennsylvania State University. He served as the Senior Biostatistician, providing statistical support and expertise at Emory University for three years, before moving to UT Southwestern. He assists with study design, data collection and management, and statistical analyses related to study reporting and hypotheses. In his spare time, Jo enjoys listening to music and traveling.
Danny Dabroy
Clinical Research Coordinator II
Danny Dabroy hails from the Dallas area and has an interest in clinical research and epidemiology. He graduated with his master’s in public health - epidemiology (M.P.H.) in 2023 and completed a bachelor’s degree in public health in 2021 at The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Prior to arriving at UT Southwestern, he researched the effects and impact of human health rising from tobacco and emerging nicotine devices at UTA. He is a current CRC II and started his position in the lab in January 2023.
Kyle Krautkramer
Clinical Research Coordinator II
Kyle Krautkramer is a Clinical Research Coordinator II in the Department of Neurology. He earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Baylor University and completed a clinical internship at Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, studying PTSD and related disorders in first responders and veterans. Before arriving at UT Southwestern, Kyle worked in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University, helping coordinate an NIH-funded research program. Since joining our team, he has completed the requirements set by the Association of Clinical Research Professionals to be credentialed as a Certified Clinical Research Coordinator (CCRC). He is excited to focus his research interests on cognitive and memory disorders, specifically Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Kimberly Martinez
Clinical Research Coordinator I
Kimberly Martinez earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Texas Woman’s University in 2022. Her journey with UT Southwestern began in 2021, and she now serves as a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Cognitive and Behavioral section of the Department of Neurology. Her earlier work centered on expanding the Neuroscience Biorepository to support researchers and scientists investigating multiple sclerosis and neuroimmunology conditions. Kimberly is excited to continue pursuing her interests in clinical research.
Kathryn Roper
Research Assistant I
Kathryn Roper earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Missouri in 2023 followed by a master’s in biomedical sciences in 2024. She joined the UT Southwestern Department of Neurology as a research assistant in November 2024 and is excited to be a part of the team.