Sam Houle
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Dr. Sam Houle is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT San Antonio- Health Science Center. Sam is originally from Yorktown, Virginia and received his Bachelor's degree in Neuroscience from Christopher Newport University in 2019. That year, he joined the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the Ohio State University and matriculated into the lab of Dr. Olga 'Niki' Kokiko-Cochran within the Institute for Brain, Behavior, and Immunology. There, he studied how stress following a traumatic brain injury can alter the neuroimmune responses to TBI and push the brain towards future neurodegeneration. Sam received his Master of Science in applied Neurosciences in April of 2022 and his PhD in Neuroscience in August of 2025. In the fall of 2025 Sam joined the lab of Dr. Kevin Bieniek at the UTSA Health Science Center. Now here in San Antonio, he studies the potential of new, investigational therapeutics in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Outside of the lab Sam loves to explore the city by running and is an avid reader and chef. He is exploring Texas one hike and BBQ restaurant at a time and spends his remaining free time playing with his two cats, Blaise and Izzy. Sam also volunteers his time as a local advocate in the Alzheimer's Impact Movement, where he advocates at the state and federal levels for initiatives to improve the lives of those with Alzheimer's and their families.
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Professional Background
Education
- 2015-2019 - BSc, Neuroscience; Minor, Chemistry, Leadership - Christopher Newport University
- 2019-2022 - MSc, Applied Neurosciences - The Ohio State University
- 2019-2025 - PhD, Neuroscience - The Ohio State University
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Research
Alzheimer's and Neurodegenerative Diseases
Neurotrauma
Neuroimmunology
Immunometabolism
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Publications
Houle S, Tapp Z, Dobres S, Ahsan S, Mitsch J, Zimomra Z, Cotter C, Reyes Y, Juan Peng, Lifshitz J, Rowe R, Godbout J, Kokiko-Cochran O.N. “Sleep Fragmentation Stress Exposure Following Traumatic Brain Injury Enhances Neuroinflammation and Impairs Functional Recovery” Brain, Behavior, and Immunity- Heath, vol. 38, doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2024.100797.
Fitzgerald J‡, Houle S‡, Cotter C, Zimomra Z, Martens K.M, Vonder Haar C, Kokiko-Cochran O.N. “Lateral Fluid Percussion Injury Causes Sex-Specific Deficits in Anterograde but Not Retrograde Memory.” Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, vol. 16, 2022, doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2022.806598.
Houle & Kokiko-Cochran. “A Levee to the Flood: Pre-Injury Neuroinflammation and Immune Stress Influence Traumatic Brain Injury Outcome.” Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, vol. 13, 2022, 10.3389/fnagi.2021.788055.
Daily K.P, Badr A, Eltobgy M, Estfanous S, Whitham O, Tan M.H, Carafice C, Krause K, McNamara A, Hamilton K, Houle S, Gupta S, Gupta G.A, Madhu S, Fitzgerald J, Saadey A, Laster B, Yan P, Webb A, Zhang X, Pietrzak M, Kokiko-Cochran O.N, Ghoneim H.E, Amer A.O. “DNA Hypomethylation Promotes the Expression of CASPASE-4 which Exacerbates Neuroinflammation and Amyloid-β Deposition in Alzheimer’s Disease” BioRxiv Neuroscience doi.org/10.1101/2023.08.30.555526
Shannon T, Cotter C, Fitzgerald J, Houle S, Levine N, Shen Y, Rajjoub N, Dobres S, Iyer S, Xenakis J, Lynch R, Pardo-Manuel de Villena F, Kokiko-Cochran O.N., Gu B. “Genetic Diversity Drives Extreme Responses to Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Epilepsy” Experimental Neurology, doi.org/10.1016/j.expneurol.2024.114677
Mitrano DA, Houle SE, Pearce P, Quintanilla RM, Lockhart BK, Genovese BC, Schendzielos RA, Croushore EE, Dymond EM, Bogenpohl JW, Grau HJ, Webb LS (2021). Olfactory dysfunction in the 3xTg-AD model of Alzheimer’s disease. IBRO Neuroscience Reports, 10:51-61