Jeff Radel, Ph.D.

Professional Background

After a distinguished career of more than 30 years at KU, Jeff Radel, Ph.D., retired in June 2024. In August 2026, he returned to serve as co-chair for the Department of Occupational Therapy Education. He previously taught in KU's occupational therapy degree programs as a tenured associate professor and served as a dissertation advisor in the doctoral program in therapeutic science. In February 2016, Radel was appointed associate dean for academic and student affairs for the School of Health Professions, where he guided development of programs, faculty and students.

Radel earned a bachelor's degree in psychobiology from Oberlin College in 1979, and both master's (1982) and doctorate (1987) degrees in experimental psychology with an emphasis in neuroscience from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. After six highly productive years of postdoctoral training at the University of Pittsburgh, Radel joined the faculty at KU Medical Center in 1993.

Trained in developmental neuroscience, Radel has worked in the fields of visual neuroscience and neurorehabilitation. His background includes neuroanatomy, histology, electrophysiology, and behavioral testing in animals, and he possesses a broad range of experience in assessing visual function in humans. He regularly serves as a reviewer for funding agencies and journals.

• BA, Psychobiology, Dept. of Psychology, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
• MA, Experimental Psychology/Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• PhD, Experimental Psychology/Neuroscience, Dept. of Psychology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Post Doctoral Fellowship, Visual system repair, University of Pittsburgh, Dept. Anatomy & Cell Biology, Pittsburgh, PA

Research

Overview

Radel is not accepting new doctoral students at this time.

A major focus of Radel's research has been directed toward animal models of brain development and retinal function through a long series of investigations exploring experimental perturbations in the developing brain. His work also has explored dietary fatty acids in relation to brain and retina development, and vascular pathology of the retina after perinatal oxygen exposure (a model of retinopathy of maturity in humans).

Driven both by a personal and growing community interest in neurorehabilitation in patients following brain injury, Radel also studied biophysical and social risk factors for concussions and other causes of traumatic brain injury. Of particular interest was the subset of patients who were slow to recover full function after brain injury and who continued to experience persistent post-concussion symptoms that often limited return to normal activities. He worked to develop an evaluation of factors that may influence the trajectory of recovery and explored social factors influencing participation by parents, students, teachers and school administrators in such studies.