Dr. Owen Carmichael Awarded James W. and Neil Ann Parks Professorship for Dementia Research, Prevention and Treatment at Pennington Biomedical

June 1, 2026 · Baton Rouge, LA

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LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is pleased to announce that Dr. Owen Carmichael was awarded the James W. and Neil Ann Parks Professorship for Dementia Research, Prevention and Treatment.

“Dr. Carmichael’s innovative research and leadership have significantly strengthened Pennington Biomedical’s dementia research enterprise,” said Dr. Jennifer Rood, Executive Director of Pennington Biomedical Research Center. “His work is advancing our understanding of brain aging and cognitive decline, and I hope this Professorship will help him leverage and expand his world-class research program at Pennington Biomedical.”

Neil Ann Parks said, “My husband’s father died of Lewy Body Dementia, a Parkinsonism with a dementia component. It’s painful enough to have your parent or loved one lose their physical abilities, but when they also lose their mental capacity, when they lose themselves, it’s an excruciating thing to go through. For my father-in-law the process took 12 months, start to finish. It was a runaway train to hell. If our donation can prevent even one other family from having this happen to them, it will be worth it. We are blessed that Pennington Biomedical, and Dr. Carmichael have taken up the challenge.”

James and Neil Ann Parks are longtime supporters of Pennington Biomedical. They intend for this professorship to be part of their legacy in understanding, preventing and treating dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia and other diseases of the brain, and believe that through this work, new diagnostics and treatments will be developed until a cure is found. Endowed professorships are among the highest academic honors bestowed upon a faculty member and recognize excellence in research, scholarship and leadership.

Dr. Carmichael is a Professor and the Director of Biomedical Imaging at Pennington Biomedical, where he oversees MRI, DXA and ultrasound data collection and analysis. His research focuses on developing and applying advanced biomedical imaging techniques to better understand Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, brain aging and the effects of lifestyle and metabolic health on cognitive decline.

“It is a tremendous honor to be named the James W. and Neil Ann Parks Professor for Dementia Research, Prevention and Treatment,” Dr. Carmichael said. “The Parks family has been a strong supporter of dementia research at Pennington Biomedical for many years. They understand that as we enter a new era of disease-modifying therapies, prevention approaches and blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease, the need for research that pushes these innovations forward has increased dramatically. I want to thank James and Neil Ann Parks for their vision for this professorship that will help to make these promising advances a reality for older adults, dementia patients and their loved ones in Louisiana and beyond.”

Dr. Carmichael joined Pennington Biomedical as an associate professor in 2014 and has played a key role in expanding the Center’s biomedical imaging and dementia research programs since. His work combines expertise in neuroscience, imaging and data science to investigate how chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, as well as health behaviors like exercise and eating, influence brain health and dementia risk. His work has been incorporated into pivotal studies including the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC), the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study (DPPOS), the Action for Health in Diabetes Study (LookAHEAD) and the Bogalusa Heart Study. He recently secured a $2 million grant to support the purchase of a new, cutting-edge MRI machine for the Center.

Dr. Carmichael earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, and his doctorate in robotics from Carnegie Mellon University. He completed postdoctoral training at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center prior to joining the University of California, Davis as an Assistant Professor of Neurology.

The James W. and Neil Ann Parks Professorship for Dementia Research, Prevention and Treatment further supports the mission of Pennington Biomedical’s Institute for Dementia Research & Prevention, which works to improve quality of life through world-class research programs focused on dementia prevention, early detection and treatment opportunities for individuals and families affected by dementia.

Researchers in the Institute are involved in a wide range of studies aimed at understanding the causes of brain aging and identifying how aging promotes the development of dementia, focusing on lifestyle choices as modulators of cognition. Research is also focused on understanding the basis for frailty and falls in the elderly with and without dementia.