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Huda Y. Zoghbi, M.D., Founding Director

Dr. Zoghbi is an internationally-renowned neurogeneticist and the founding director of the Duncan NRI. She is also an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and a Distinguished Service Professor at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM). She was also recently appointed as Research-In-Chief at Texas Children’s Hospital

Dr. Zoghbi completed residencies in pediatrics and pediatric neurology in 1985. Seeing children with incurable, inherited neurological diseases and not being able to provide them with hope piqued her interest in research and led her to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular genetics under the mentorship of the preeminent geneticist, Dr. Arthur Beaudet. Today, Dr. Zoghbi’s research spans neurodevelopment to neurodegeneration and has led to key discoveries in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1, Rett syndrome, bipolar, Alzheimer’s and many others.

Dr. Zoghbi has won numerous awards, including the Breakthrough Prize and the Brain Prize, two of the most prestigious honors in medical science. She is also an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Academy of Inventors. She has received honorary doctorates from Yale University and Harvard University, among others.

Elizabeth Atkinson, Ph.D., Population and Statistical Geneticist

Dr. Atkinson is a newly-appointed population and statistical geneticist at the Duncan NRI. She is also an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at BCM. She received her Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis and then conducted an NIH IRACDA fellowship at Stony Brook University, followed by a K01-funded postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute of MIT.

The overarching goal of Dr. Atkinson’s lab at the Duncan NRI will be to reduce the disparity in genomics research by including more people of diverse ancestry, and particularly those who traditionally have been underrepresented in genomics studies. Her research is centered around complex neuropsychiatric traits, with a particular focus on populations of African and Latinx descent, though many of the tools she plans to use are broadly applicable across phenotypes and populations with potential widespread impact on human health. Dr. Atkinson is also interested in using cutting-edge computational tools to better understand the demographic and evolutionary history of understudied human groups.

Ryan Dhindsa, M.D., Ph.D.,Fellow

Dr. Dhindsa is a newly-appointed NRI Fellow. He received his undergraduate degree in biology from Duke University in 2015 and his M.D./Ph.D. from Columbia University in 2021. While earning his Ph.D., he developed innovative methods to identify new genes that cause neuropsychiatric disease and understand the mechanisms of these implicated genes. Dr. Dhindsa’s work, published in Nature, Annals of Neurology and other major journals, has demonstrated that historically underappreciated sources of genetic variation contribute to both rare and common diseases. His research has also established frameworks that leverage cutting-edge genomics technologies, including single-cell RNA-sequencing, to elucidate disease mechanisms and prioritize therapeutics in neurological disease.

At the Duncan NRI, Dr. Dhindsa will focus on using gene discoveries to fuel novel treatment options for patients with neuropsychiatric diseases. Through stem cell models, single-cell RNA-sequencing, and epigenetic profiling, Dr. Dhindsa’s research program seeks to identify potentially convergent mechanisms in these disorders with a goal of developing broadly applicable therapeutics.

Anthony Zoghbi, M.D., Principal Investigator

Dr. Zoghbi is a principal investigator at the Duncan NRI and an assistant professor in the Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, as well as Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at BCM. He received his M.D. from BCM. He subsequently pursued a residency in adult psychiatry at Columbia University and served as chief resident.

Dr. Zoghbi aims to expand his work in schizophrenia to other neuropsychiatric disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. His goal is to identify novel genetic targets for these conditions that could serve as the foundation for more effective treatments that are specifically tailored to an individual’s unique genetic makeup. He is also exploring how to use genetics to identify individuals who are at risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders before they begin exhibiting symptoms to guide their treatment choices.

Dan DiPrisco, Executive Vice President

Dan DiPrisco, is an Executive Vice President at Texas Children's Hospital. Mr. DiPrisco has been with Texas Children’s for 18 years, starting out as an administrative fellow at BCM in 2002, and progressing quickly through the ranks. Mr. DiPrisco’s role during his tenure has progressed from business and physician support service leadership to hospital operations as Senior Vice President of The Woodlands and the Baylor Operating Unit. Mr. DiPrisco was critical in implementing and leading the Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine Operating Unit and opening The Woodlands Campus.

Currently, his primary areas of operational responsibility include the pediatric inpatient and ambulatory services on the Texas Medical Center Campus, Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, nursing, pharmacy, respiratory and therapy services, as well as continued oversight of the institutional affiliation between Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital.

Mr. DiPrisco holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Indiana University. He is a Certified Healthcare Financial Professional with the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA), and also holds memberships with the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), and the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA).

Tabitha Rice, Executive Vice President

In her role as Executive Vice President, Tabitha is responsible for a variety of areas including Texas Children’s research enterprise, Texas Children’s Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute and Department of Pediatrics. Tabitha has been part of the Texas Children’s family for more than two decades, after starting her career as an Administrative Fellow. During her tenure, she has led numerous strategic priorities at Texas Children’s including our ongoing and system-wide care coordination initiative.

After graduating from University of Pennsylvania in 1996, Tabitha earned a certificate in public health from Harvard, and then her MBA at Rice University in 2000.

Questions? Email ambassadors@texaschildrens.org or 832-824-6900.