Gopal Thinakaran currently serves as the CEO of the Byrd Alzheimer's Center and Research Institute and the Associate Dean for Neuroscience Research at the University of South Florida, where leadership is exercised over a collaborative research team focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease. With two decades of prior experience at the University of Chicago, Gopal Thinakaran contributed significantly to Alzheimer's disease cell biology research as a Professor and held various academic ranks. Additionally, Gopal Thinakaran is a member of the Board of Directors at Asha Therapeutics. Educational credentials include a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Guelph and a BSc and MSc in Biotechnology from Madurai Kamaraj University.