Celebrating GSBS Faculty 2020:  Tenure and Promotion

We wish to congratulate our GSBS faculty, who were promoted or tenured this year.  The promotion and tenure process is rigorous and is designed to recognize faculty members who exemplify a commitment to academic excellence.  This year two faculty members, Dr. Styliani Goulopoulou and Dr. Robert Barber, have been promoted or granted tenure.

We are fortunate to have these two outstanding individuals among all our extraordinary GSBS faculty who represent our HSC values in educating and mentoring our students, conducting cutting-edge research, and personifying our commitment to service.  2020 was a particularly challenging year for GSBS, our HSC community, and our world, making their accomplishment even more inspiring.

J. Michael Mathis, Ph.D.

Dean, GSBS

Styliani (Stella) Goulopoulou, FAHA, Ph.D.

Dr. Goulopoulou joined the department of Physiology and Anatomy at UNTHSC in August 2014 as a tenure-track assistant professor. At HSC, Dr. Goulopoulou has established an independent research program with an emphasis on the physiology of perinatal and postpartum maternal vascular function. The main objectives of the Goulopoulou research program are to a) Delineate mechanisms of maternal vascular function in healthy pregnancies and in pregnancies with preeclampsia, b) Define mechanisms by which reproductive history and pregnancy complications re-program maternal vascular health and determine future maternal cardiovascular risk. Dr. Goulopoulou’s long-term goal is to establish an evidence-based framework that defines the role of pregnancy physiology in maternal vascular health and disease. To address relevant research questions, the Goulopoulou lab uses a multi-method multi-model quantitative approach with experimental models spanning from cells and isolated tissues to animal models of healthy pregnancy and pregnancies with placental ischemia. The Goulopoulou lab has been funded by the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, and institutional seed grants. In addition to her commitment to research, Dr. Goulopoulou is committed to graduate education through her teaching and mentoring of junior scientists, and she is also involved in various service activities at HSC and at national professional organizations.

Robert Barber, Ph.D.

Dr. Barber’s laboratory is focused on identifying genetic and epigenetic risk factors for neurodegeneration. Research is collaborative and translational in nature. Ongoing projects include efforts to use patterns of DNA variation and differential methylation to predict the risk and progression rate of Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Barber is also interested in the biology of Alzheimer’s among Mexican Americans and how disease etiology may differ between this underrepresented ethnic group and Caucasians. A second area of research interest is how individual gut bacteria profiles may impact risk for neurodegeneration and the age at onset of cognitive decline.  Collaborations are established with researchers at UNTHSC and other Texas institutions, as well as West Virginia University. Active projects are ongoing with Drs. O’Bryant, Allen, Planz, Cross, Hall, and Cunningham at UNTHSC; Chumley and Boehm at Texas Christian University; Royall and Palmer at UT Health Science Center at San Antonio and Wilhelmsen at West Virginia University School of Medicine.