Biography:

Dr. Chris Ransom is a neurologist–scientist at the University of Washington and the VA Puget Sound Health Care System whose work spans epilepsy, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and translational neuroscience. As an MD-PhD, he combines clinical neurology with laboratory research to understand how brain injury and metabolic stress alter neural activity and contribute to seizures and long-term neurological outcomes. A central focus of Dr. Ransom’s research is electrophysiology—how neurons and brain networks generate and regulate electrical activity. His lab uses mouse models alongside human electroencephalogram (EEG) and clinical datasets to study how oxygenation, metabolism, and injury reshape neural excitability and network dynamics. By integrating cellular recordings, systems-level measurements, and clinical EEG, his work aims to reveal how seizures emerge and how brain activity changes after TBI. These insights can guide new treatments and monitoring approaches for patients. Clinically, Dr. Ransom cares for patients with epilepsy and related neurological disorders, ensuring that real-world clinical challenges inform his research questions. At the University of Washington, he is also an educator and mentor who supports interdisciplinary training and neuroscience outreach through his position as an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology.