Keilholz will take on the extra responsibilities for Machelle Pardue, who has been appointed interim chair of Coulter BME.

“I’m grateful to Shella for taking on this additional role for our Department,” said Pardue, who was the first person appointed to the faculty development position in 2020. “Shella is a successful and collaborative interdisciplinary researcher who also is known for her efforts to promote inclusivity in science. I look forward to working with her to continue to build our faculty development programs and mentoring.”

Keilholz joined the Coulter Department in 2004 as an assistant professor; she was promoted to full professor in 2020. Her research connects neuroscience, signal processing, and complex systems analysis, working to develop imaging methods to study networks of activity in the brain and provide tools to diagnose and treat clinical manifestations of brain dysfunction. Her lab’s work using functional magnetic resonance imaging has provided whole brain coverage in rodents, allowing visualization of activated areas throughout the brain.

Keilholz has secured more than $12 million in research funding and published 70 peer-reviewed journal articles. In 2020, the Emory University School of Medicine recognized her with its Hidden Gem Award.

“The time that we invest in our faculty to help them reach their full potential strengthens and elevates the entire Coulter BME Department,” Keilholz said. “Machelle has done a terrific job setting up a framework of programs and mentoring to support BME faculty and reinforce our collaborative culture. I will work hard to keep up that momentum while she serves as interim chair.”