KINGSTON, R.I. – May 12, 2025 – When Cailyn Doyle was only 2 years old, the trajectory of her life, and those of her family members, changed forever. Doyle’s father, a police officer in their hometown of Wilbraham, Massachusetts, was struck by a drunk driver while on the job and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury.

“I had a difficult time understanding an injury that I couldn’t see,” said Doyle. “The injury severely affected his cognition, including impairments to his memory, attention, problem-solving ability, judgment, logic and reasoning, and self-control. I wanted to know exactly what caused my dad to behave the way he did.”

Doyle enrolled in the University of Rhode Island’s clinical neuroscience program to gain a better understanding of her father’s brain injury. She’ll cross the commencement stage in URI’s Ryan Center this week.

“This program has given me a greater understanding and appreciation for my dad and all that he has been through,” said Doyle. “It takes an incredible amount of strength to rebuild your life after such a life-altering accident. I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

Cailyn’s father, Christopher, is proud of his daughter for finding a positive path forward from a difficult experience.

“I wish she didn’t have the first-hand experiences she had that led her to where she is now,” said Christopher Doyle. “I am happy, however, that she found a way to change a negative life experience into such a positive. She never ceases to amaze me. I am super proud of her.”

For the last year and a half, Doyle has conducted research in associate professor Katharina Quinlan’s laboratory, which is dedicated to investigating how spinal neurons change and deteriorate in neurodegenerative diseases or after injuries where movement is critically impaired or lost.

“Cailyn possesses a rare combination of dependability, curiosity, and the ability to work hard to achieve great results. She is one of the best students I’ve had,” said Quinlan of the George H. Bond & Mary Kulik Bond Endowed Scholarship recipient.

The most common motor disorder in children is cerebral palsy, marked by increased muscle tone and exaggerated reflexes. Cerebral palsy is most often caused by brain injuries that occur at or around the time of birth. This injury weakens the developing corticospinal tract, which is the major pathway for voluntary control of movement.

“My research is focused on whether damage to these pathways is associated with anatomical changes that could lead to exaggerated reflexes,” said Doyle. “I use a research method known as immunohistochemistry, which labels specific proteins in cells to help visualize them under a microscope. This allows us to determine if there are anatomical changes in the spinal cord after an injury that could lead to the exaggerated reflexes in cerebral palsy. Our preliminary data suggests these changes do exist and contributes to these exaggerated reflexes.”

Lisa Weyandt, a professor of psychology and director of URI’s Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, had Doyle as a student in her clinical neuroscience course and met with her several times during office hours.

“Cailyn has high standards for herself and others,” said Weyandt. “She also has a tender heart for those impacted by misfortune, particularly those suffering from traumatic brain injury and other neurological conditions. Given her intellect, high standards, and kindness, I’m certain she will make a fine physician.”

Outside the classroom and lab, Doyle has been active in URI’s Neuroscience Club and the URI chapter of the National Marrow Donor Program. She also volunteers for the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, an organization that helped her family after her father’s accident.

“I volunteer to offer a different perspective, as traumatic brain injuries don’t just impact the individual, but the entire family,” said Doyle. “I aspire to show those struggling with traumatic brain injuries that they are worthy of our forgiveness, while also helping family members feel less alone in the struggles they face.”

With three younger siblings and years of teaching gymnastics to children ranging in age from 18 months old to 12 years old, Doyle would like to become a pediatric neurologist.

“A pediatric neurologist treats children with conditions that affect the brain, nerves, and spinal cord,” said Doyle. “Since many of these conditions are chronic, pediatric neurologists often follow patients over time, rather than just seeing them once, allowing them to build relationships with the child and their family.”

Doyle will spend the next year gaining clinical research experience before enrolling in medical school.