Carney faculty members Arturo Andrade, Edward Walsh and Michael Worden will be promoted to Associate Professors (Research) of Brain Science starting July 1, 2023.

“We are thrilled to have supported the promotions of these three accomplished faculty colleagues,” said Diane Lipscombe, the Reliance Dhirubhai Ambani Director of the Carney Institute. “In addition to their stellar scientific achievements, these faculty give so much support to the brain science community to advance research. All three faculty have supported research through the Institute’s cores and helped countless faculty, postdocs and students. I hope you’ll join us in congratulating them on their much deserved promotions.”

“We are so lucky to have great scientists like Professors Andrade, Walsh and Worden as part of our community,” said Christopher Moore, Associate Director of the Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science. “They each bring substantial scientific insight and expertise. In addition to their individual research contributions, they connect and amplify those around them. Professors Walsh and Worden are critical to the success of the Brown University MRI Research Facility, just as Dr. Andrade is to Carney’s Rodent Behavioral Phenotyping Core. We are really fortunate to get to work together."

Arturo Andrade studies the cell-specific mechanisms of neuronal activity and drug action, including opioids and cannabinoids. He is also developing molecular tools to monitor and control neural activity with biolumescence. To answer research questions, he makes use of  mammalian expression systems, mouse genetic models, electrophysiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology. His work is funded by the NIH and NSF and has implications for patients with conditions including epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, neuropathic pain, Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. As director of Carney’s Rodent Behavioral Phenotyping Core, he coordinates research operations among researchers interested in performing behavioral studies in mouse genetic models.

Edward Walsh’s research interests include image-guided diagnostics and therapy, magnetic resonance imaging and in-vivo spectroscopy, magnetic particle imaging, and possible quantum aspects to neurological function. Investigation in these areas is leading to advancements in gathering a patient’s medical information, notably real-time assessment of parameters such as blood flow, neurological activity, and neurometabolite concentrations. Professor Walsh recently participated in testing a novel thermal accelerant for image-guided microwave tumor ablation, which the FDA is now evaluating as part of the approval process.

Michael Worden’s research uses neuroimaging (fMRI, EEG) and behavioral techniques to investigate the brain processes involved in attention and visual perception. He studies how the items we direct our attention towards influence which mechanisms the brain uses to focus on or ignore them. As associate director of research for the Brown University MRI Research Facility, he oversees MRI-related research operations and infrastructure and works with researchers across the university to facilitate their science. Professor Worden also serves as chair of Brown’s Institutional Review Board.