Minae Niwa, Ph.D., has been named the First Holder of the Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Professorship in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology. The title was approved at the UAB Board of Trustees meeting on Feb. 7, 2025.
“I am deeply honored to be named the First Holder of the Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Professorship,” Niwa said. “This recognition reflects the dedication of my research team, mentors, and collaborators who have supported my work over the years. With this endowed professorship, I will continue to advance our research on how psychosocial stress influences brain maturation and function, with the goal of developing novel treatment strategies for psychiatric disorders. The generous support from the Hill Crest Foundation will be invaluable in driving forward our efforts to understand complex neural mechanisms and translate these insights into improved mental health outcomes.”
Niwa graduated with her Ph.D. in 2007 from Nagoya University in Japan and completed her postdoctoral training at Johns Hopkins University in 2014. She served as an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University before being recruited to UAB in 2019 and promoted to associate professor in the UAB Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology in 2020. In 2024, she was awarded tenure.
Niwa is nationally and internationally recognized for her innovative studies exploring molecular and neural circuit mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders. Among her many scientific papers and publications, Niwa published a book chapter titled, Effects of social isolation throughout the lifespan on behaviors and related neuroendocrine functions in rodents. She has received numerous grants and contracts to research this effort.
In addition, Niwa is a dedicated educator and mentor, having guided numerous graduate and undergraduate students as well as postdoctoral fellows.
The Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Professorship was established in June 2024 thanks to a donation from The Hill Crest Foundation, Inc. The Hill Crest Foundation is a private organization that supports nonprofit organizations and educational institutions primarily in the Birmingham area.