Want a glimpse into research happening across North Texas? UNT Health Fort Worth will showcase the latest scientific work from area researchers at its annual Research Appreciation Day on April 17.
The event is expected to draw about 500 attendees — from students and faculty to community members — with poster presentations highlighting research in biomedical sciences, clinical care and public health and newer frontiers such as artificial intelligence. Research Appreciation Day will also offer a stage for early-career scientists to present their findings to a wider audience, Dimitrios Karamichos, vice president of UNT Health Research and Graduate Studies, said in a news release.
Research Appreciation Day 2026 will kick off with a keynote address by Dr. Russell Swerdlow, a professor of neurology at the University of Kansas Medical Center. His research focuses on why the brain’s ability to produce and use energy declines with age, why those changes are more pronounced in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and how that function might be restored. His keynote will explore how mitochondria — the cell’s energy producers — may link aging and Alzheimer’s disease, and how fixing problems in these energy systems could lead to new treatments.
Two panels will spotlight collaboration and innovation across North Texas. “Better Together: Collaborative Training Networks in North Texas” will examine how institutions are working together to support the next generation of researchers by sharing resources and opportunities. And “The Future of Health Innovation in North Texas, from Discovery to Impact” will focus on what happens after a scientific breakthrough — how universities and regional partners turn research into real-world solutions that benefit patients and communities.
“In alignment with one of our values, Better Together, this regional event signals a growing momentum for North Texas research, fostering partnerships that will drive innovation, talent development and scientific impact well into the future,” Karamichos said in the news release.
Research Appreciation Day began in 1993 and has typically included universities within the University of North Texas System, such as UNT Dallas and UNT Denton. This year, researchers from Texas Christian University will also participate.