Congratulations to our very own Natalie Pearson, BSN, RN, SCRN from the OHSU 7C Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit, who was awarded the 2026 OHSU Nurse of the Year Award for "Champion of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging."⭐
This award recognizes nurses advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in patient care and workplace culture.
Nominated by Brianne Shropshire, OHSU Critical Care Nurse Manager, who had this to say about Natalie:
"What truly sets Natalie apart is the way they creates space for others. They are consistently kind, inclusive, and intentional in actions, fostering an environment where individuals feel safe, welcomed, and empowered to contribute. Natalie ensures that diverse voices are not only invited but actively heard and valued.
Natalie Pearson exemplifies what it means to be a champion of DEIB through leadership, advocacy, and everyday interactions. They are highly deserving of this recognition for their ongoing commitment to equity, inclusion, and belonging within OHSU and the communities we all serve."
Well done, Natalie!👏
#OHSU #OHSUBrain #NursesWeek #NationalNursesMonth #NurseoftheYear
Earlier this month, @ohsunews became the first center in Oregon to use a second-generation robotic assistance device for spinal surgery. The tool — the first of its kind used at OHSU for spinal surgery — focuses on precision in a specialty where millimeters are crucial.
"In straightforward and short cases, the robot increases our accuracy and may improve efficiency and safety. But in more complex cases that can span an entire day, with a very small margin of error, any tool that offsets some of the cognitive load is a welcomed improvement," said surgeon Dr. James Wright.
The OHSU Spine Center conducts an average of 1,000 surgical procedures annually, making it one of the busiest in the Pacific Northwest.
🔗 Link in bio to read the full story.
#OHSU #OHSUBrain #SpineSurgery #SpinalSurgery #Robotics
"I’m just so impressed by her grit, her dedication, not only the way she fights the disease, but the way she has performed in life... To me, it is beyond human capacity. She just inspires me," said OHSU Multiple Sclerosis Center Director Dr. Vijayshree Yadav about Georgena Moran, who was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1998.
Today, Georgena is a global leader in recreation trail accessibility, forging a path for those with disabilities who want to explore the outdoors.
Since 2001, she has conducted accessibility site assessments, creating innovative guidelines for recreation trails beyond the basic ADA-accessible designations, bringing together federal, state and local park agency representatives and organizations in a group known as "Access Recreation."
🔗 Link in bio to read Georgena's full story.
📷 #4: Patrick Stark, USFWS region one
#OHSU #OHSUBrain #MultipleSclerosis
A partnership between @portlandstate and @ohsunews , the Oregon Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health & Aging (@ocebha ) is a new center to address growing mental health and substance use disorders among older adults.
OCEBHA Co-Directors Drs. Paula Carder and Walt Dawson discuss how the center aims to improve access to older adult behavioral health services and supports in Oregon and beyond.
➡️ To view upcoming events, including free monthly webinars and the OCEBHA 3rd Annual Behavioral Health & Aging Conference, visit the link in our bio!
📆 Webinar Practical Psychopharmacology: Clinician's Guide to Managing Complex Behavioral Health RX in Older Adults
March 25, 2026 from 12-1:30 p.m. PDT
📆 OCEBHA's 3rd Annual Behavioral Health & Aging Conference: Theme To Be Announced
September 15-16, 2026
Wilsonville Conference Center
#PSU #OHSU #OCEBHA #OlderAdults #BehavioralHealth #SubstanceUseDisorder #MentalHealth
How do you know if you should call Poison Help or 911? Call 911 when someone is having trouble breathing, unresponsive, or having a seizure.
For all other poisoning symptoms, call the Poison Help line to connect with an expert! The Poison Help line is fast, free, and available 24/7, 365 days a year.
You never know when you might need it. 1-800-222-1222. /
#OHSU #OHSUBrain #NPPW26 @orpoisoncenter
A federally funded research initiative will enable researchers at @ohsunews and other organizations to assess the safety and effectiveness of state-regulated access to psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms.
"There is an urgent need to assess the safety of these programs and their impact on substance use before more voters and policymakers are asked to consider their merits and drawbacks.," said Dr. Adie Rae, a scientist at the Legacy Research Institute in Portland and co-director of the Oregon Psychedelic Evaluation Nexis (OPEN).
The OHSU-led initiative will specifically examine psilocybin’s effect on people with substance use disorders.
🔗 Link in bio to learn more.
#OHSU #OHSUResearch #OHSUBrain
A new, five-year, $3.3 million award will enable @ohsunews scientists to develop an eye drop specially designed to detect the fluorescent signal of a protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Combined with the use of a noninvasive scanner, the research project could result in a low-cost, widely accessible screening tool to catch the earliest stage of the disease.
"The goal is to develop population-level screening involving a simple eye drop and a quick scan," said Dr. Lei Wang, assistant professor of biomedical engineering in the OHSU School of Medicine.
🔗 Link in bio to learn more.
#OHSU #OHSUBrain #OHSUResearch #Alzheimers
Launched in 2017, the Oregon ECHO Network (OEN) is a statewide initiative that supports ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) programming determined by a collaborative group of community partners and participants.
Hosted at OHSU’s Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network (ORPRN), Project ECHO allows primary care clinicians and their teams to access the knowledge and tools to manage health conditions that they typically refer to specialty care.
The benefits of this approach include improved patient satisfaction, reduced medical errors and unneeded specialty referrals, and overall improved patient health for all Oregonians.
Find out more about the Oregon ECHO Network’s slate of new programs for spring at the link in our bio!
#OHSU #OHSUBrain #OregonECHO #ECHO
In the study published today, OHSU researchers identified specific sites on the NMDA receptor in the brain that, if they could be blocked, may potentially reverse the progression of the rare disorder anti-NMDAR encephalitis.
The condition affects about one in 1 million people annually, predominantly people in their 20s and 30s, best known by the bestselling autobiography and 2016 motion picture, “Brain on Fire.”
Scientists hope this discovery shows a promising target for treatment for this devastating autoimmune disease affecting the brain.
🔗 Link in bio to learn more.
#OHSU #OHSUResearch #OHSUBrain
“Patients with brain cancer are often left feeling frustrated trying to understand their tumor’s progression and what the right treatment is. Now with a new path forward, we hope patients are provided some hope and comfort in this extremely difficult moment." - Dr. Ramon Barajas, Jr., professor of diagnostic radiology in the OHSU School of Medicine.
A team of researchers with @ohsunews ' Neuro-Oncology Blood-Brain Barrier Program supported several clinical trials investigating a novel use of a drug for brain cancer imaging.
Recently, the FDA approved ferumoxytol, known clinically as FERABRIGHT™, as a contrast agent physicians can use to detect and monitor tumor progression in patients with brain cancer.
Physicians can use this new imaging option to see an additional, multidimensional view of the cancerous area in the brain.
🔗 Link in bio to learn more.
#OHSU #OHSUResearch #OHSUKnight #OHSUBrain
According to new research by @ohsunews and the VA Portland Health Care System, the over-the-counter supplement lipoic acid may have a small beneficial effect in slowing the loss of gray matter in the brains of people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis.
"The slowing of brain atrophy that we saw in MRI images suggests that we may yet be on the right track, especially if we can find a better way to deliver the beneficial effects of an antioxidant like lipoic acid," said Dr. Rebecca Spain, lead author on the study.
🔗 Link in bio to learn more!
#OHSU #OHSUResearch #OHSUBrain
@ohsunews researchers have identified a type of enzyme with a complicated name — cell migration inducing and hyaluronan-binding protein, or CEMIP — is associated with various neurodegenerative disorders and conditions.
Dr. Larry Sherman, professor at OHSU’s Oregon National Primate Research Center, led research identifying the enzyme CEMIP as a key player in myelin breakdown linked to conditions like multiple sclerosis, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The next step is to develop a way to target the enzyme to heal or slow the progression of disease.
🔗 Link in bio to learn more!
#OHSU #OHSUResearch #OHSUBrain
