
Kimberly A Sullivan, PhD
Research Associate Professor, Environmental Health - Boston University School of Public Health
Biography
Dr. Sullivan is a Research Associate Professor at the Boston University School of Public Health department of Environmental Health and the former Associate Scientific Director for the Congressionally-directed Research Advisory Committee (RAC) on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses. She is a behavioral neuroscientist and the Principal Investigator (PI) on the large multi-site Gulf War Illness Consortium (GWIC) that includes 9 study sites and is designed to determine the pathobiology of Gulf War Illness (GWI). She is also the PI of the large, multi-site Gulf War Illness Biorepository Network (BBRAIN) designed to share biospecimens and foster collaboration with other GWI researchers. She is also site PI for multiple treatment trials including Co-enzyme Q10 and D-cycloserine to treat cognitive and fatigue problems in veterans with GWI and multiple phase I/II trials of the multi-site GWI Clinical Trials Consortium (GWICTIC). Dr. Sullivan has worked in the field of aging and behavioral neurotoxicology since 1992. She has also coordinated field studies in neurotoxicology (i.e., pesticides, methylmercury), neurobehavioral outcomes and the effects of physical stressors and genetic predisposition to disease on cognitive functioning in Alzheimer's disease, stroke and Parkinson disease.
Education
- Boston University, PhD Field of Study: Neuroscience/Neurology
- Curry College, BA Field of Study: Psychology
Publications
- Published on 1/3/2025
Abou-Donia MB, Conboy LA, Kokkotou E, Jacobson E, Elmasry EM, Elkafrawy P, Neely M, Dale Bass CR, Sullivan K. Retraction notice to "Screening for novel central nervous system biomarkers in veterans with Gulf War Illness" [Neurotoxicology and Teratology 61 (2017) 36-46]. Neurotoxicol Teratol. 2025; 107:107423. PMID: 39755468.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 12/16/2024
Niles BL, Kaiser AP, Crow T, McQuade M, Polizzi C, Palumbo C, Krengel M, Sullivan K, Wang C, Mori DL. Tai Chi and Wellness Interventions for Veterans with Gulf War Illness: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial. Int J Behav Med. 2024 Dec 16. PMID: 39681780.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 9/30/2024
Cheng CH, Guan Y, Chiplunkar VP, Mortazavi F, Medalla ML, Sullivan K, O'Callaghan JP, Koo BB, Kelly KA, Michalovicz LT. Nerve agent exposure and physiological stress alter brain microstructure and immune profiles after inflammatory challenge in a long-term rat model of Gulf War Illness. Brain Behav Immun Health. 2024 Dec; 42:100878. PMID: 39430882.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 8/26/2024
Krengel M, Sullivan K, Zundel CG, Keating D, Orlinsky L, Bradford W, Stone C, Thompson TA, Heeren T, White RF. Toxicant Exposures and Health Symptoms in Military Pesticide Applicators From the 1991 Gulf War. J Occup Environ Med. 2024 Nov 01; 66(11):e584-e592. PMID: 39190332.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 8/21/2024
Trivedi A, Bose D, Moffat K, Pearson E, Walsh D, Cohen D, Skupsky J, Chao L, Golier J, Janulewicz P, Sullivan K, Krengel M, Tuteja A, Klimas N, Chatterjee S. Gulf War Illness Is Associated with Host Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis and Is Linked to Altered Species Abundance in Veterans from the BBRAIN Cohort. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Aug 21; 21(8). PMID: 39200711.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 8/5/2024
Abou-Donia MB, Krengel MH, Lapadula ES, Zundel CG, LeClair J, Massaro J, Quinn E, Conboy LA, Kokkotou E, Nguyen DD, Abreu M, Klimas NG, Sullivan K. RETRACTED: Abou-Donia et al. Sex-Based Differences in Plasma Autoantibodies to Central Nervous System Proteins in Gulf War Veterans versus Healthy and Symptomatic Controls. Brain Sci. 2021, 11, 148. Brain Sci. 2024 Aug 05; 14(8). PMID: 39199542.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 7/29/2024
Abou-Donia MB, Lapadula ES, Krengel MH, Quinn E, LeClair J, Massaro J, Conboy LA, Kokkotou E, Abreu M, Klimas NG, Nguyen DD, Sullivan K. RETRACTED: Abou-Donia et al. Using Plasma Autoantibodies of Central Nervous System Proteins to Distinguish Veterans with Gulf War Illness from Healthy and Symptomatic Controls. Brain Sci. 2020, 10, 610. Brain Sci. 2024 Jul 29; 14(8). PMID: 39199540.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 7/24/2024
Steele L, Furlong CE, Richter RJ, Marsillach J, Janulewicz PA, Krengel MH, Klimas NG, Sullivan K, Chao LL. PON1 Status in Relation to Gulf War Illness: Evidence of Gene-Exposure Interactions from a Multisite Case-Control Study of 1990-1991 Gulf War Veterans. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Jul 24; 21(8). PMID: 39200575.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 5/1/2024
Krengel M, Keating D, Chao L, Dugas J, Koo B, Heeren T, Quinn E, Toomey R, Steele L, Klimas N, Samonte F, Abdullah L, Sullivan K. Characterizing 1991 Gulf War women veterans from the Boston Biorepository and Integrative Network for Gulf War Illness: Demographics, exposures, neuroimaging and cognitive outcomes. Clin Neuropsychol. 2024 Aug; 38(6):1454-1467. PMID: 38692856.
Read At: PubMed
- Published on 1/22/2024
Chao LL, Sullivan K, Krengel MH, Killiany RJ, Steele L, Klimas NG, Koo BB. The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in Gulf War veterans: a follow-up study. Front Neurosci. 2023; 17:1301066. PMID: 38318196.
Read At: PubMed
View 105 more publications:View Full Profile at BUMC
News & In the Media
- Published on February 15, 2025
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Published on November 9, 2023
Gulf War Veterans Continue to Experience Cognitive Effects of Toxic Chemical Exposures
- Published on December 12, 2022
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Published on March 24, 2022
‘One of the Greatest Tragedies We Can Witness as Human Beings’
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Published on November 11, 2021
Three Decades after the Gulf War, Veterans Still Battle Health Issues
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Published on November 5, 2021
30 Years after Gulf War, Veterans Still Battle Health Issues Caused by Toxic Wounds
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Published on March 3, 2021
25 Investigates: Research in Boston Could Lead to Cure for Gulf War Illness
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Published on November 25, 2020
Three Discoveries That Could Impact Diagnosis, Treatment of PTSD and Gulf War Illness
- Published on November 25, 2020
- Published on December 23, 2019
- Published on November 13, 2019
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Published on November 13, 2019
At BU and Beyond, Many Gulf War Veterans Still Suffer from Toxic Wounds
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Published on November 12, 2019
At BU and Beyond, Many Gulf War Veterans Still Suffer from Toxic Wounds
- Published on August 27, 2019
- Published on August 20, 2019
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Published on April 8, 2019
Professor Awarded $3.2M to Establish Biorepository Network for Gulf War Illness Research
- Published on March 18, 2019
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Published on October 9, 2018
Dietary Supplement Could Reduce Some Chronic Symptoms of Gulf War Illness
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Published on March 5, 2018
Gulf War Veterans Suffer Disproportionately from Memory Problems, Chronic Pain
- Published on June 14, 2017
- Published on May 22, 2017
- Published on November 21, 2016
- Published on February 20, 2016
- Published on January 25, 2016
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Published on April 28, 2014
Gulf War Illness: New Report Lauds Treatment Research, Confirms Toxic Causes