School of Communication Science and Disorders Assistant Professor Dr. Sladjana Lukic received a First Year Assistant Professor (FYAP) award from the Council on Research and Creativity (CRC). Additionally, Lukic was chosen for an NIH-sponsored K12 Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) for 2025–2026. These awards will support Lukic’s research on the brain-language relationship in aphasia across etiologies.

“I’m incredibly grateful to have been selected as a recipient of the NIH-sponsored K12 award. This support means a great deal to me, and I will try my best to make as much as possible a bigger impact on integrating translational science into clinical practice and providing stronger support for our patients in the community,” said Lukic.

Lukic’s research focuses on improving diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for aphasia, a language disorder that affects millions of Americans. In the fast-evolving fields of artificial intelligence and neural networks, her project combines everyday speech data with brain imaging to build neurolinguistic phenotypes of aphasia to assist clinicians in developing effective therapeutic protocols. She hopes to be a catalyst for the continuous collection and monitoring of patients with post-stroke and progressive aphasias in central Florida, who are often marginalized due to a lack of understanding.