UTD Researchers Honored for Work Leading to Stroke Patients’ Gains

(from left to right) Dr. Michael Kilgard , Dr. Robert Rennaker and Dr. Seth Hays are three of the principal UT Dallas researchers behind the innovation of vagus nerve stimulation to treat a variety of neurological issues, including poor hand function after a stroke.

The University of Texas at Dallas researchers who adapted vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) to improve the effectiveness of physical rehabilitation after a stroke have been recognized by the journal Molecular Medicine for their fundamental discoveries that have led to ongoing advances in clinical care.

The journal’s Anthony Cerami Award in Translational Medicine will be awarded to Dr. Michael Kilgard, the Margaret Fonde Jonsson Professor of neuroscience in the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences; Dr. Robert Rennaker, professor of neuroscience and the Texas Instruments Distinguished Chair in Bioengineering; and Dr. Seth Hays, associate professor of bioengineering and Fellow, Eugene McDermott Professor in the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science. ­