Kevin F. Bieniek, Ph.D., assistant professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, has received a Rising STARs Award from the UT System. The award for early-career investigators comes with a $250,000 grant.
Dr. Bieniek, who began work at UT Health San Antonio in 2018, received his doctorate in the neurosciences from the Mayo Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. He is the inaugural director of the brain bank at UT Health San Antonio’s Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases.
His research interests include the neurodegenerative disorder chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). He was the lead author of a recent study published in Brain Pathology that found that nearly 6% of athletes and non-athletes were found to have CTE. It was the largest and broadest study of the disease to date.
Dr. Bieniek said he was honored to receive the Rising STARS award.
“These funds will be instrumental in helping to expand the Biggs Institute Brain Bank’s diagnostic and research capabilities for our donors/families, fellow researchers and UT Health San Antonio,” he said.
In the theme of the holiday season, Dr. Bieniek added, “I am incredibly grateful for the kindness, generosity and support from my colleagues, benefactors, our institution and the University of Texas System.”
The UT System Board of Regents authorized the Science and Technology Acquisition and Retention (STARs) program in 2004. Multiple types of STARs awards support enhancement of UT institutions across the state.