UAB is one of the few institutions in the country where women outnumber men in the neuroscience department. Scientists credit the department’s collaborative culture—a place where science is celebrated and curiosity thrives. Meet five researchers whose groundbreaking discoveries are advancing brain health and inspiring the next generation of scientists.
Linda Overstreet-Wadiche, PhD
Professor of Neurobiology
Dr. Linda Overstreet-Wadiche is captivated by one of the brain’s enduring mysteries: why a small region continues to generate new neurons throughout adult life. “Most neurons form during early development,” she explains, “but this region keeps making them, and we want to understand why.”
Her lab at UAB studies how adult-born neurons differ from those formed early in life and how they might hold clues to improving memory and cognition as we age.
The thrill of discovery fuels her work. “It doesn’t happen often, but when you piece together data that finally answers a question, it’s super exciting. I can’t imagine doing anything else,” says Dr. Overstreet-Wadiche.
In her early training, women in neuroscience were rare. “That’s changing,” she says. “It’s exciting to see more women shaping the future of this field.”
Alecia Gross, PhD
Professor of Neurobiology
In her UAB lab, Dr. Alecia Gross is focused on understanding the root causes of vision loss and how to delay its progression. “We study why we go blind on a cellular and protein level, with the hope that we can throw a wrench in that pathway and slow it down,” she says.
Her research centers on degenerative eye conditions and strategies for preserving sight over time. “We’d love to cure it someday,” says Dr. Gross. “We hope to slow it down to where it could take over 100 years."
She’s been recruited by other institutions but has chosen to stay at UAB. “The women in neuroscience at UAB are unlike anywhere else. We lift each other up, we challenge each other—and we’re friends. That kind of culture matters.”
Rita Cowell, PhD
Professor of Neurology
At the heart of Dr. Rita Cowell’s work is a critical question: what causes brain cells to die in diseases like ALS and Parkinson’s, and how can we prevent it?
Dr. Cowell chose a path in research because she wanted to support physicians by uncovering the mechanisms behind these diseases and provide answers that can one day lead to better treatments. “The lab is where discoveries that improve patients' lives happen, so that’s where I wanted to be,” she says.
Her career bridges both academic research and drug discovery, including five years at Southern Research. Now, she mentors students through UAB’s Training Program in Neurodegeneration, including a growing number of women. “I've noticed that all of the women who’ve done well in science have strong personalities,” she says. “We refuse to be intimidated because we know we are smart and that we belong in the room.”
For Dr. Cowell, both Birmingham and UAB are home. “You’re not just a scientist here—you’re valued as a whole person with a family, too,” she says. “It’s a place where you can do meaningful work and feel fully supported while you do it.”
Kristina Visscher, PhD
Professor of Neurobiology
Dr. Kristina Visscher studies how the brain adapts with experience, vision loss, and aging. Her lab uses MRI to explore how networks in the brain shift when we pay attention to different types of information, and how that flexibility is affected in conditions like macular degeneration and early Alzheimer’s.
“The opportunity to do research in neuroscience is our way, as humans, to try to understand how we see the world,” says Dr. Visscher. “Everything we experience passes through the brain. If we can understand how it processes information, we can better understand ourselves and others. It’s an amazing opportunity, I'm so lucky to get to do that on a daily basis."
Dr. Visscher also leads community outreach through Brain Awareness Week at McWane Center and monthly “Brain Chats” at the Avondale Library.
“I want the Birmingham community to know that world-class neuroscience is happening at UAB,” she says. “We’re part of something extraordinary, and it’s happening right here.”
Farah Lubin, PhD
Professor of Neurobiology
Dr. Farah Lubin explores how the brain forms and preserves memory and how to restore that function when disease strikes. Her lab at UAB focuses on mechanisms that could help people with epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and other disorders regain cognitive function. “We’re discovering that memory deficits can sometimes be treated separately from seizures,” says Dr. Lubin. “That’s major news.”
Trained in molecular genetics immunology, she pivoted to neuroscience in her postdoc and never looked back. She now leads two national training programs and mentors students from across the country. “I feel completely supported here,” she says. “UAB makes it clear that they value my work.”
Mentoring is one of the most rewarding parts of her work. “I love the joy of discovery—especially when I see that spark in my trainees. That’s real joy.”