Biography

Hyochol Brian Ahn, PhD, MSN, MS, APRN, ANP-BC, FGSA, FAAN, serves as Dean and Professor of the College of Nursing at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. Prior to joining UAH, he served as Dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Arizona and as Associate Dean for Research at the Florida State University College of Nursing. Dr. Ahn is an accomplished academic leader with extensive experience leading multi-campus R1 academic, research, and clinical enterprises. His leadership spans strategic planning, academic program development, research infrastructure, faculty affairs, clinical partnerships, and financial stewardship, advancing institutional priorities through innovation, collaboration, and operational excellence.

Dr. Ahn's academic background reflects a distinctive interdisciplinary foundation spanning engineering, nursing, and medical sciences. He earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from the University of Seoul and completed multiple graduate and professional degrees at the University of Florida, including an MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering, a BSN, an MSN, a PhD in Nursing, and an MS in Medical Sciences.

An internationally recognized nurse scientist, Dr. Ahn's research integrates mobile and connected health technologies with symptom science to develop innovative, home-based, nonpharmacological interventions for individuals with chronic conditions and older adults, with a particular emphasis on improving health outcomes in underserved populations. His research program has been continuously funded since 2011. As Principal Investigator of an NIH/NINR R01 award and other federally funded projects, he has secured more than $13 million in external research funding and has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations. He has also served as a scientific reviewer and chair for federal funding agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

A board-certified Adult Nurse Practitioner and Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), Dr. Ahn is a nationally recognized leader in nursing education and research. He serves on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials Implementation Steering Committee, contributing to the advancement of national standards for nursing education, workforce development, and inclusive excellence. His leadership is distinguished by a commitment to building high-performing academic environments, expanding research excellence, strengthening clinical partnerships, and preparing the next generation of nursing leaders to improve health locally and globally.

Curriculum Vitae

Google Scholar

Education

• PhD, Nursing, University of Florida
• MSN, Adult and Elderly Nursing, University of Florida
• BSN, Nursing, University of Florida

Clinical Expertise

• Adult Nurse Practitioner–Board Certified (ANP-BC)
• Chronic Disease Management
• Geriatric Assessment and Care

Expertise

• Gerontology and Healthy Aging
• Pain and Symptom Science
• Chronic Disease Self-Management

Recent Publications

• 1. Lee C, Park J, Chen CX, Sun X, Kwoh CK, Liu S, Miao H, & Ahn H. (2026). Sex-specific effects of digital home-based neuromodulation combined with mindfulness-based meditation on knee osteoarthritis symptoms. Digital Health, 12, 20552076261456558. doi: 10.1177/20552076261456558. PMID: 42226766; PMCID: PMC13222450.
  2. Rauch, SAM., Yasinski, C., Mahsa, M., Woodbury, A., Black, K., Fuller, S., Boatright, J., Coulter, M., Maples-Keller, J., Dunlop, B., Hernandez-Tejada, M., & Ahn, H. (2026). Reducing chronic pain with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in veterans engaged in intensive outpatient mental health treatment: A pilot study. Military Medicine, doi: 10.1093/milmed/usag220. PMID: 42124341.
  3. Park, J., Lee, C., Lin, L., Fain, M. J., Telkes, I., Dahmer, S., Park, L., Hoang, J., Miao, H., & Ahn, H. (2026). A randomized trial of a digitally delivered, home-based neuromodulation and mindfulness intervention for pain management in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. NPJ Digital Medicine. doi: 10.1038/s41746-026-02577-7. PMID: 41917434. PMCID: PMC13199477.
  4. Lee, C., Kim, H., Kim, S, Kim, Y., Sun, X., Chen, C.X., Park, J., Pellegrini, C., Garcia, D., Chen, N., Kwoh, C.K., & Ahn, H. (2006). Predicting heterogeneity of treatment effects to transcranial direct current stimulation for knee osteoarthritis pain and symptoms: A machine learning approach. The Clinical Journal of Pain, 42(4), e1364. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0000000000001364. PMID: 41626992.
  5. Lee, C., Sun, X., Park, J., Chen, C., Pellegrini, C., Chen, N., Garcia, D., Kim, H., Kwoh, C. K., & Ahn, H. (2026). Heterogeneity of treatment effects in transcranial direct current stimulation for knee osteoarthritis pain and symptoms. PAIN Reports, 11(2), e1411. doi: 10.1097/PR9.0000000000001411. PMID: 41822104. PMCID: PMC12978831.
  6. Lee, C., Park, J., Miao, H., & Ahn, H. (2026). Neural and psychophysical predictors of treatment response to transcranial direct current stimulation and mindfulness-based meditation for knee osteoarthritis pain. medRxiv [Preprint]. doi: 10.64898/2026.02.02.26345407. PMID: 41674634; PMCID: PMC12889770.
  7. Lee, C., Kwoh, C.K., & Ahn, H. (2026). Differential association of inflammation with pain and physical function in knee osteoarthritis by race focusing on non-Hispanic whites and Asian Americans: Pilot study in Florida. Asian/Pacific Island Nursing Journal, 10:e75086. doi: 10.2196/75086. PMID: 41529170; PMCID: PMC12798909.
  8. Chen, C.X., Wu, J., Lee, C., Park, J., Ahn, H., Lin, L., & Kroenke, K. (2025). Minimally important difference and responsiveness to change for numerical rating scale of menstrual pain severity: A psychometric study. Frontiers in Pain Research, 6:1655464. doi: 10.3389/fpain.2025.1655464. PMID: 41473765; PMCID: PMC12745389.
  9. Park, J., Montero-Hernandez, S., Huff, A. J., Lee, C., Pollonini, L., Park, L., Lin, L., Telkes, I., Galvin, J. E., Hoang, J., & Ahn, H. (2025). Advancing pain assessment in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy for investigating brain activity. British Journal of Pain, 1–15. doi: 10.1177/20494637251384009. PMID: 41025082. PMCID: PMC12476374.
  10. Huff, A.J., Park J, Montero-Hernandez, S., Park, L., Lee, C., Pollonini, & Ahn, H. (2025). Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) detects brain changes for apathy and pain in patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias: An exploratory study. Neuroimage Reports, 5(3), 100266. doi: 10.1016/j.ynirp.2025.100266. PMID: 41050943; PMCID: PMC12489781.