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Faculty Profile

Jokubas ZiburkusJokūbas Žiburkus

Associate Professor
Department of Biology and Biochemistry
Research Division: Cell and Molecular Biology (Primary)

Office: Health and Biomedical Sciences Building, 438
Contact: jziburkus@uh.edu - 713-743-0659

Education: Ph.D., Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center

Google Scholar Profile

The overarching goal of Jokūbas Žiburkus’s research is to advance our understanding and regulation of the brain mechanisms underlying neurological disorders, with a focus on intractable epilepsies and dementia. His research spans multiple levels of study and utilizes advanced techniques such as in vitro neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, live neuronal activity imaging, molecular biology, immunohistochemistry, and computational neuroscience. His work was featured in a TEDx Vilnius talk, highlighting its broad impact.

Current efforts in his lab concentrate on developing multisensory therapy protocols to stimulate cognitive function and improve memory in older adults. In collaboration with the UH BRAIN Center, this research investigates how proprietary olfactory formulations, used in conjunction with auditory stimuli, modulate neural activity, mood, and strengthen associative memory pathways. The long-term objective is to develop non-invasive, alternative treatments to boost cognitive function and memory for those at risk of developing, or in the early stages of, dementia.

Active Funded Research Projects

  • University of Houston High Priority Research Area Seed Grant (2025-2026)
  • University of Houston Dementia Prevention and Research Institute Seed Grant (2025-2026)

Research Partnerships

  • University of Houston BRAIN Center (Dr. J. Contreras-Vidal)
  • University of Houston MD Anderson Libraries
  • Alzheimer’s Association Southeast Chapter (Houston)

Teaching

Over the past eighteen years, Žiburkus has singlehandedly taught neuroscience courses to thousands of UH students. In 2014, he received the UH Teaching Excellence Award for his innovative neuroscience teaching methods. His courses are consistently oversubscribed and among the highest rated at the university. He is passionate about developing engaging, advanced neuroscience, neurological clinical science, and biotech entrepreneurship courses and programs, including the neuroscience minor and major tracks at UH.

Courses

  • 2007-Current
    Neuroscience (BIOL 4315) for undergraduate students and for graduate students (BIOL 6315) – history of neuroscience, neurons and glia, membrane biophysics and action potentials, synaptic transmission, sensory systems, neurological disorders, current and emerging techniques and therapies.
  • 2021-2024
    Cellular Neuroscience (BIOL 6397) for graduate students: neuronal development and migration; neuronal networks and neural transmission; neurotransmitters and neuropeptides; basic mechanisms of neurological disorders; clinical views of the major neurological disorders; group projects.
  • 2025-Current 
    Anatomy and Physiology II (BIOL 2302) – CNS review, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, immune, respiratory, urinary, digestive, reproductive systems and nutrition.

Active Teaching Grants

Entrepreneurship

Žiburkus and his colleagues have published two patents with the University of Houston on neuropharmacological formulations, and a third patent is currently in the provisional filing stage. He has successfully founded several forward-thinking ventures, including one that achieved a successful exit while he was on an extended leave of absence. The most recent efforts involve development of Brain Haven – startup focused on creating multisensory environments and protocols to improve cognitive function and memory.

Žiburkus currently serves as a Chair of the University of Houston Innovation Council and is actively engaged in the growing UH and Houston city startup ecosystem.

Honors and Awards:

  • UH: University of Houston Teaching Excellence Award (2014)
  • National: US Congressional Award of Recognition for Professional Cannabis Education - United States Congress awarded by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (2021)
  • International: Global Lithuanian Leader (Lithuania’s President award to the most impactful Lithuanians living abroad) (2014)
  • International Visiting World-Class Scholar grant award recipient - Lithuanian Science Foundation (2014)
  • Life Sciences Baltics Meeting Ambassador (largest life sciences meeting in the Baltics - 2012-2016)

In addition to publishing dozens of research articles and several book chapters, Dr. Žiburkus has a popular TEDx talk, has published numerous articles for general public, and has served as a neuroscience and endocannabinoid system expert at several Supreme Courts of Canada. He is highly sought after speaker and expert, whose work has been featured on several local Houston news outlets such as, KHOU TV, KUHF and KPFT radios, Houston Chronicle, and Cougar Daily.

Select Publications

  1. Biggs J, Žiburkus J, Eriksen JL. Art-Science Collaborations: How to Break Boundaries Without Breaking Trust (2019) In book: Mobile Brain-Body Imaging and the Neuroscience of Art, Innovation and Creativity (pp.43-52)
  2. Hosseini-Zare MS, Gu F, Abdullah A, Powell S, Žiburkus J.* “Effects of experimental traumatic brain injury and impaired glutamate transport on cortical spreading depression.” Neurobiology of Disease. Journal of Experimental Neurology (2017)
  3. Dulla CG, Coulter DA, Žiburkus J. (2016) From Molecular Circuit Dysfunction to Disease: Case Studies in Epilepsy, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Alzheimer's Disease. Neuroscientist.
  4. Gu F, Hazra A, Aulakh A† and Žiburkus J*. (2014). Purinergic control of hippocampal circuit hyperexcitability in Dravet syndrome. Epilepsia
  5. Hazra A, Gu F, Berridge C†, Aulakh A†, Eriksen J and Žiburkus J*. (2013) "Inhibitory neuron and hippocampal circuit dysfunction in an aged mouse model of Alzheimer's disease" PLoS ONE
  6. Seol GH†, Žiburkus J†, Huang SY, Song L, Kim IT, Takamiya K, Huganir RL, Lee H-K, and Kirkwood A. † Equally contributing authors. (2007) Neuromodulators control the polarity of spike-timing dependent synaptic plasticity. Neuron
  7. Žiburkus, J., Cressman, J.R., Barreto, E. and Schiff, S.J. (2006) Interneuron and pyramidal cell interplay during in vitro hippocampal seizures. J Neurophysiology.
  8. Žiburkus, J., Lo, F.-S., and Guido, W. (2003) Nature of inhibitory postsynaptic activity in developing relay cells of the lateral geniculate nucleus. J. Neurophysiology.

Published Patents

  1. PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS (2019)
    Publication number: 20190125779
    • Novel treatment methods of controlling cell hyperexcitability occurring in a neurological disease or disorder associated with epileptogenesis or cardiac disorder.
    • Novel pharmaceutical compositions comprising adenosine or adenosine agonists, phytocannabinoids, and terpenes.
  2. METHODS OF TREATING NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES (2017)
    Publication number: 20170042929
    • Novel treatment of controlling hippocampal neural circuit hyperexcitability occurring in a neurological disease or disorder associated with epileptogenesis.
    • Novel pharmaceutical formulation comprising of an adenosine A1 receptor agonist.