Faculty Spotlight

Faculty ProfileKelly Watson, Ph.D.Dr. Kelly Watson applied early-decision to attend Vanderbilt as an undergrad and has been part of the campus ever since. As a clinician scientist, her current work focuses on social cognition in adolescents with Tourette Syndrome and youth at risk for Huntington’s disease. In her free time, you’ll find her with her family walking their goldendoodle or cheering on Nashville SC and Vanderbilt Women’s Basketball. 

Ever since his teenage years, Dr. Jonah Fox has been interested in how the brain works. After initially considering a career in psychiatry, he discovered that neurology captured his interests. His sense of responsibility towards his patients keeps him motivated, both in his clinical and research duties. During his free time, Dr. Fox enjoys spending time with his family, exploring Nashville’s many kid-friendly hangout spots.Tell us about your background and how your path led to Vanderbilt.

Dr. Susanta Bandyopadhyay discovered a love for clinical neurology, particularly the epilepsy field, while pursuing a PhD. He enjoys the challenging but exciting process of diagnosing and treating this complex disease. In his free time, you’ll find him exploring nearby parks with his family or trying new international cuisine at some of Nashville’s lesser-known restaurants. Tell us about your background and how your path led to Vanderbilt.

While a Texas native originally, Dr. Meryim Poursheykhi spent half of her life in Germany before returning to Texas for residency. One of her main priorities in her career is teaching, and working with the residents at an academic medical center provides many opportunities for continued learning, as well as sharing knowledge. When not on service, Dr. Poursheykhi enjoys exploring the waterfalls in Middle Tennessee and international travel.Tell us about your background.

As the director of the teleneurology program, Dr. Adam Hartman manages the clinical and business needs of this emerging technology, ultimately with the goal of opening up care to large patient populations who otherwise would not have access. As an educator, he finds inspiration in the trainees he works with and remains close with several of his own mentors from his residency and fellowship programs. In his free time, Dr. Hartman and his husband like to keep busy, and particularly like hiking and exploring the outdoors with their dog. 

Dr. Lily Kim’s path to sleep medicine arrived via a fellow resident who introduced the idea. Upon learning more about the subspecialty, Dr. Kim realized it encompassed everything she was looking for in her medical practice. She discovered that the supportive atmosphere and wide variety of faculty interests within the Sleep Division made Vanderbilt a great fit both for fellowship and as a faculty member. In her free time, Dr. Kim enjoys exploring Nashville’s coffee shops and traveling to pursue outdoor adventures with her family. 

Dr. Mayur Patel’s passion as a lifelong sports fan has translated well into pursuing neurology with a focus on traumatic brain injury. A Texas native, Dr. Patel finds inspiration from his patients, who often travel far for care. When not working or following his favorite teams, he enjoys international travel, and is even working on launching his own travel blog.  Tell us about your background.

Nurse Practitioner Lexi Rouse spent four years working in the Neuro ICU, which makes her current work in the general neurology and stroke clinic all the more rewarding. She finds inspiration and encouragement from her colleagues. A former collegiate softball player, she spends her free time at her gym, surrounded by a like-minded community. An avid traveler, Lexi enjoys being exposed to and learning from different cultures around the world. Tell us about your background and how your path led to Vanderbilt? 

As she approaches her one-year anniversary at Vanderbilt, Dr. Amalia Peterson reflects on the strong research program and other qualities that attracted her to Vanderbilt in the first place. Dr. Peterson’s time is split between research and clinical duties, which complement each other as she explores questions regarding risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. In her free time, she enjoys exploring Nashville’s food scene with her husband and dog.  Tell us about your background.

Dr. Matthew Meriweather’s positive experiences with his residency and fellowship at Vanderbilt (you can read his resident profile here) made it a natural choice to stay on as a member of faculty. As a hospitalist, Dr. Meriweather appreciates the acuity of cases he encounters, as well as the regular engagement with residents. In his time off, he enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, going to concerts, and staying active at Orange Theory Fitness.