A generous gift from The Hardesty Family Foundation will help ensure critical research on addiction continues at OSU Center for Health Sciences.

The $2 million gift establishes the Roger Hardesty Endowed Chair in Clinical Neuroscience and Kyle Simmons, Ph.D., has been named the inaugural endowed chair, pending approval by the OSU A&M Board of Regents in June.

The gift supports a faculty member who demonstrates excellence in teaching, research and scholarship, with a specific focus on clinical neuroscience. The position also strengthens the mission and impact of the Hardesty Center for Clinical Research and Neuroscience at OSU-CHS.

Simmons is a professor of pharmacology and physiology at OSU-CHS and director of the OSU Biomedical Imaging Center. He serves as a principal investigator on several groundbreaking studies, including the Semaglutide Therapy for Alcohol Reduction (STAR) study, which is exploring the potential use of GLP-1 medications in the treatment of alcohol use disorder.

“This transformative gift from the Hardesty Family Foundation is a powerful investment in the future of clinical neuroscience and research at OSU Center for Health Sciences,” said OSU-CHS President Johnny Stephens. “It reflects a shared commitment to advancing innovative, high-impact research that improves lives.

“Dr. Simmons is an outstanding researcher and scientist whose work is helping redefine how we understand and treat addiction. His leadership in innovative research, including the promising work being done through the STAR study, makes him exceptionally deserving of this honor. Naming him as the inaugural Roger Hardesty Endowed Chair recognizes both his contributions to science and the meaningful impact his work will have on patients and communities.”

Through this endowed chair, OSU-CHS will continue to meet its mission of improving the health of Oklahomans through teaching, research and patient care, addressing critical needs in the state and beyond.

“Addiction research and recovery are deeply personal causes for our family and the foundation, making this project especially meaningful,” said Michelle Hardesty, executive director of the Hardesty Family Foundation. “Over the past decade, we’ve built strong partnerships with the team at OSU Center for Health Sciences and have seen firsthand their commitment to improving lives across Oklahoma.

“We are proud to support Dr. Kyle Simmons and the STAR study, which we believe has the potential to expand treatment possibilities and bring hope to individuals and families affected by addiction. The Hardesty Family Foundation is honored to help advance research that could create new pathways to recovery for generations to come.”