Ihab Hajjar, M.D.
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. 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.
Malik Obideen, M.D.
Lab Manager
Dr. Obideen is an accomplished physician and dedicated clinical researcher. After earning his medical degree from the University of Aleppo School of Medicine, he embarked on a career specializing in neurology. Driven by a passion for clinical research, Malik made a bold move to the United States and joined the Emory University Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit in 2012.
During his eleven-year tenure, he worked closely with the cardiology and neurology departments, focusing his research on mental stress-induced myocardial ischemia, dementia, and memory and cognitive impairment. Malik's expertise and contributions to the field led to his appointment as a lab manager at UT Southwestern 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 in the research community and beyond.
Meghan Leak, MBA
Research Program Manager
Meghan Leak is our newly appointed Research Program Manager for Dr. Ihab Hajjar, Section Head of the Department of Neurology specializing in Cognitive & Memory Disorders. Meghan states that she is “proud to apart a research team that is providing a space for all people to represented in research and its findings.”
Meghan is a proud graduate of Spelman College where she obtained her degree in Psychology. She then went on to do clinical research in pain management for 6 years. With a desire to understand the business of healthcare, she completed her MBA in public administration. Following her master’s, she completed additional training as a Project Management Professional and earned her Lean Six Sigma Green Belt.
Montrianna Greene
Clinical Research Coordinator II
Montrianna supports the Cognitive and Memory Section of the Neurology Department and has been with UT Southwestern since 2023. She previously worked as a social worker with a focus on Alzheimer’s care. Montrianna recently graduated with her master's degree in social work.
Danny Dabroy, MPH
Clinical Research Coordinator II
Danny was born in Garland, TX and has an interest in clinical research and epidemiology. He graduated with his Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology (MPH) in 2023 and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health in 2021 from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). Prior to arriving at UTSW, he previously researched the effects and impact of human health rising from tobacco and emerging nicotine devices at UTA since 2019. He is a current Clinical Research Coordinator II and started his position in January of 2024.
Kimberly Martinez
Clinical Research Coordinator I
Kimberly Martinez earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Texas Woman’s University in 2022. Her journey with UT Southwestern began in 2021. She now serves as a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Cognitive and Memory Section of the Neurology Department. Her earlier work centered on expanding the Neuro-Science Biorepository to support researchers and scientists investigating Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology conditions. Kimberly is excited to continue pursuing her interests in clinical research.
Kyle Krautkramer, CCRC
Clinical Research Coordinator II
Kyle Krautkramer is a Clinical Research Coordinator II in the Department of Neurology. He earned his B.S. in Psychology from Baylor University, during which time he completed a clinical internship at Baylor Scott & White Research Institute studying PTSD and related disorders in first responders and veterans. Before arriving at UTSW, Kyle worked for the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University, helping coordinate an NIH-funded research program. He is excited to focus his research interests on cognitive and memory disorders, dementia, and specifically Alzheimer's Disease (AD). During his time here at UTSW, Kyle has met the requirements established by the Academy of Clinical Research Professional and is now a Certified Clinical Research Coordinat
Destiny Jones, MHA
Clinical Research Coordinator I
Destiny Jones is a Clinical Research Coordinator I in the Cognitive and Memory Section of the Neurology Department and started her position in July 2024. She received her Bachelor of Science in Community Health in 2019 and her Master of Health Administration in 2020 from Louisiana State University- Shreveport. Before starting her position at UTSW, she worked as a clinical research coordinator at LSU Health Science Center in various specialties such as pulmonary, radiology and neurology with majority of her focus on studying the safety and effectiveness of WEB devices with patients that have intracranial wide-neck and bifurcation aneurysms (WNBA). Destiny has been working in healthcare for over 5 years and is excited to expand her interests in clinical research studying cognitive and memory disorders.
Reem M. Neal, MD
Post Doctoral Researcher
Dr. Reem M. Neal, MD, is a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Hajjar’s AD/ADRD Clinical Research program at UT Southwestern. She earned her MD from the University of Damascus in 2019, and then completed a Clinical Pharmacology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. Currently she is learning how to conduct Clinical Trials that study cognitive and memory disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease and related dementia.
Ifeanyichuku Ozobu, MD
Post Doctoral Researcher
Ifeanyichukwu Ozobu is recent medical school graduate from Riverdale, Maryland. Dr. Ozobu is active in the research that surrounds 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 a part the research that Dr. Hajjar is currently conducting and is thrilled to be apart of UT Southwestern.
Brandon Henley, PhD.
Research Scientist
Dr. Brandon Healey, PhD
Joey Yang
Biostatistician Consultant II
Joey received his Master of Science in Applied Statistics from Pennsylvania State University. He serves as the Sr. Biostatistician for providing statistical support and expertise at Emory for three years before moving to UTSW. He assists with study design, data collection and management, and statistical analyses related to study reporting and hypotheses. In his spare time, he enjoys listening to music and traveling.
Jordan Hughes
Psychometrist I
Jordan Hughes is a psychometrist specializing in neurology research focusing on cognitive testing. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Texas Tech University in 2021, followed by a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from Texas A&M University Commerce in 2023.
Before joining the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW), Jordan honed her skills during an internship at the Community Psychology Clinic in Commerce, Texas. There, she conducted individual and group therapy sessions and completed comprehensive battery assessments for adolescents, college students, and community members.
Jordan is thrilled to be part of the UTSW community and contribute to a dynamic research team dedicated to studying diverse populations. Her work at UTSW aims to advance our understanding of cognitive function in neurological conditions, helping to shape future interventions and treatments.
Maureen Edwards
Sr Administrative Assistant II
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Maureen has lived all over the United States with her husband and four children. After being a support to her husband who served 25 years in the United States Air Force, they now call Fort Worth, Texas home. As an Administrative Assistant for over 10 years, now supporting Dr. Hajjar and his amazing Team at UT Southwestern is a dream opportunity. Being of service to the research that is being done for such an important mission is both personal and an honor.