NEW YORK, NY – February 2, 2017 /Press Release –– Clinical neuropsychologist Kristen Dams-O’Connor, PhD, has been named Director of The Brain Injury Research Center (BIRC) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS). Dr. Dams-O’Connor, currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at ISMMS, will replace Wayne A. Gordon, PhD, who is stepping down after nearly thirty years of remarkable leadership. Dr. Dams-O’Connor’s research focuses on improving the health, longevity, and quality of life for survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI) by understanding factors associated with long-term health and functioning.

“We are grateful for Dr. Wayne Gordon’s leadership of the BIRC over the last three decades,” said Joseph E. Herrera, DO, Chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine for the Mount Sinai Health System. “The collective knowledge, expertise and experience that Kristen brings to the Rehabilitation Department will only strengthen the BIRC and reinforce Mount Sinai as a leader in this important field.

Dr. Dams-O’Connor’s research investigating long-term clinical and pathological outcomes associated with TBI is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She serves as Co-Project Director of the New York TBI Model System and Director of Research in The Mount Sinai Injury Control Research Center, a program funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since 2014, she has also served as Co-Director of the BIRC at Mount Sinai.
“This is a very exciting time for TBI research, as we are getting closer to answering some of the questions about long-term outcomes that matter most to people living with brain injury,” says Dr. Dams-O’Connor. “I look forward to leading a collaborative team that will make major contributions to this important area of work.”

Dr. Dams-O’Connor has an extensive background in clinical neuropsychology. She completed post-graduate training in advanced statistical and psychometric methods, and has expertise in the design and implementation of TBI clinical trials, measurement, and outcome research. She has built interdisciplinary collaborations with researchers across the United States and has led local and multi-center research projects. Her research is currently supported by federal grants from the NIH, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, and the CDC. Dr. Dams-O’Connor has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and book chapters, and has presented her work nationally and internationally.

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