The $2 million gift establishes the Roger Hardesty Endowed Chair in Clinical Neuroscience and Kyle Simmons, Ph.D., has been named the inaugural endowed chair, pending approval by the OSU/A&M Board of Regents in June.
The gift supports a faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching, research and scholarship, with a specific focus on clinical neuroscience. The position also strengthens the mission and impact of the Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience at OSU-CHS.
Simmons is a professor of pharmacology and physiology at OSU-CHS and director of the OSU Biomedical Imaging Center. He serves as a principal investigator on several groundbreaking studies, including the Semaglutide Therapy for Alcohol Reduction (STAR) study, which is exploring the potential use of GLP-1 medications in the treatment of alcohol use disorder.
“This transformative gift from the Hardesty Family Foundation is a powerful investment in the future of clinical neuroscience and research at OSU Center for Health Sciences,” OSU-CHS President Johnny Stephens said. “It reflects a shared commitment to advancing innovative, high-impact research that improves lives.
“Dr. Simmons is an outstanding researcher and scientist whose work is helping redefine how we understand and treat addiction. His leadership in innovative research, including the promising work being done through the STAR study, makes him exceptionally deserving of this honor. Naming him as the inaugural Roger Hardesty Endowed Chair recognizes both his contributions to science and the meaningful impact his work will have on patients and communities.”
Through this endowed chair, OSU-CHS will continue to meet its mission of improving the health of Oklahomans through teaching, research and patient care, addressing critical needs in the state and beyond.
“Addiction research and recovery are deeply personal causes for our family and the foundation, making this project especially meaningful,” said Michelle Hardesty, executive director of the Hardesty Family Foundation. “Over the past decade, we’ve built strong partnerships with the team at OSU Center for Health Sciences and have seen firsthand their commitment to improving lives across Oklahoma.
“We are proud to support Dr. Kyle Simmons and the STAR study, which we believe has the potential to expand treatment possibilities and bring hope to individuals and families affected by addiction. The Hardesty Family Foundation is honored to help advance research that could create new pathways to recovery for generations to come.”
About OSU Center for Health Sciences
Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences is a nationally recognized academic health center focused on teaching, research and patient care through its OSU Medicine clinics located throughout the Tulsa metro area. OSU-CHS offers graduate and professional degrees through the College of Osteopathic Medicine, OSU-COM at the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, the School of Allied Health, the School of Health Care Administration, the School of Biomedical Sciences, the School of Forensic Sciences and the Physician Assistant program. OSU Medicine operates a network of clinics offering many specialty services, including addiction medicine, cardiology, family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry and women’s health.
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