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Brandon Zielinski, MD, PhD

Pediatric Neurologist

Photo of Brandon Zielinski

My bio

Hello, my name is Brandon A. Zielinski, MD, PhD. I am the chief of pediatric neurology at the UF College of Medicine. I earned my medical degree from University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, and my PhD in Neuroscience from Georgetown University. I completed neurology and pediatric neurology subspecialty training at the University of California San Francisco. I am board certified in neurology and psychiatry with a special qualification in pediatric neurology, and practiced at the University of Utah for over a decade before relocating to Gainesville. At UF Health, I care for pediatric patients with seizure, stroke, and traumatic brain injury among other neurological conditions.

I am also a UF AI initiative scholar and my research interests include both basic as well as clinical/translational neuroscience. I study structure-function relationships in developing brain networks, both in health and neurological disorders affecting children, with a particular focus in autism and related neurodevelopmental conditions. I am a past recipient of the Child Neurology Society's Outstanding Junior Member Award, have published in top-tier peer reviewed journals, and my research is supported by the National Institutes of Health.

I am passionate about contributing to a patient-centered clinical care service model for neurodevelopmental disorders including autism, and expanding the Division of Pediatric Neurology to meet the needs of children and families throughout the state of Florida and beyond.

In my free time I enjoy any and all outdoor activities, exploring the natural world with my family, and getting outside of my comfort zone.

Board certifications

  • Child Neurology

    American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology

Education

  • Chief Resident, Neurology

    University of California at San Francisco, 2009-2010

  • Fellow, Pediatric Neurology

    University of California at San Francisco, 2007-2010

  • Resident, Pediatrics

    University of Utah and Primary Children's Medical Center, 2005-2007

  • Medical School

    University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 2001-2005

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Neuroscience

    Georgetown University Medical Center, 1996-2001

  • Bachelor of Science, Zoology

    Arizona State University, 1992-1996

My areas of focus

Specialties

Subspecialties

Gender

Male

Accomplishments

  • Fellow

    Child Neurology Society, 2025

  • Autism Center of Excellence Investigator

    https://ufhealth.org/news/2022/uf-health-researcher-co-leading-landmark-study-autism-s-role-aging, 2022

  • Runner Up, NeuroImage Paper of the Year

    https://neurology.pediatrics.med.ufl.edu/2022/09/19/dr-zielinski-runner-up-for-2022-neuroimage-paper-of-the-year/, 2022