Dementias and Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S. Its rapidly growing prevalence that is predicted to lead to an annual cost of $1.1 trillion by 2050. It is also the only top-10 cause of death that cannot currently be prevented, treated or cured. Dementia of any kind can profoundly impair memory by altering brain structure and function. To prevent or reverse these changes, neuroscientists study the way dementia impacts cells, molecules and neural circuits. The world-renowned UC Davis Alzheimer’s Disease Center (ADC) leads research in this field, conducting basic and clinical research, including clinical trials, clinical evaluations, community outreach and education, professional education and research training. The ADC also supports basic and translational neuroscience across campus through its pilot grant programs, as well as the postdoctoral Neuroscience of Cognitive Aging T32 training program. Research in this area is supported by 46 faculty members from 17 departments and 6 centers.
Faculty studying dementias and Alzheimer's disease
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Bradley Ander, Ph.D., M.B.A. RNA and blood transcriptomes of stroke, brain injury and neurodisorders; and effects of DNA variation Eliza Bliss-Moreau, Ph.D. Affective neuroscience Robert F. Berman, Ph.D. Neurodevelopmental disorders; TBI; neurotoxicology Michelle Chan, Ph.D. Neuropsychology, dementia, movement disorders and epilepsy Gino Cortopassi, Ph.D. Pharmacological amelioration of neurodegeneration (mitochondrial and Shc strategies) Daniel L. Cox, Ph.D. Modeling neuronal sensing/navigation circuits and impacts from neurodegenerative damage. Robert Cudmore, Ph.D. Effects of experience, disease and aging on the structure and function of the brain Bethany Cummings, D.V.M., Ph.D. The impact of the gut microbiome and diabetes on Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis Charles S. DeCarli, M.D. Advanced imaging tools, cognitive aging and dementia Eamonn J. Dickson, Ph.D. Mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration Brittany N. Dugger, Ph.D. Neuropathology, neurodegenerative diseases, digital pathology, disease heterogeneity, health equity Audrey Fan, Ph.D. Neuroimaging of cerebrovascular disease and dementia; MRI, PET, cerebral blood flow Sarah Tomaszewski Farias, Ph.D. Cognitive aging and dementia; early disease detection; life-course risk and protective factors; and behavioral interventions to delay cognitive and functional loss Patrick M. Fuller, Ph.D. Brain substrates of behavioral state control Randi Hagerman, M.D. Pediatric child development and behavior Paul J. Hagerman, M.D., Ph.D. Molecular underpinnings of the fragile X family of disorders Danielle Harvey, Ph.D. Statistical analysis of complex correlated data; neuroimaging; longitudinal studies Johannes Hell, Ph.D. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of neurotransmission at synapses in the brain Ladson Hinton, M.D. Geriatric psychiatry Lee-Way Jin, M.D. Ph.D. Neuropathology, autism, Alzheimer's disease David K. Johnson, M.A., Ph.D. Alzheimer's disease; dementia Wilsaan M. Joiner, Ph.D. Sensorimotor integration, motor learning/control and clinical applications. Helen Kales, M.D. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia Ingrid Kwee, M.D. Alzheimer's disease; dementia Pamela J. Lein, Ph.D. Impacts of environmental stressors on the developing and aging brain A. Kimberley McAllister, Ph.D. Synapse formation and plasticity; neuroimmune contributions to development and disease Oanh Meyer, Ph.D., M.A.S. Cognitive and mental health disparities in racial/ethnic minorities and older adults John H. Morrison, Ph.D. Neurobiology of aging and neurodegenerative disorders; cortical structure and function Karen Moxon, Ph.D. Neural encoding and plasticity, neuroprosthetics, neuroengineering, brain-machine interfaces Dan M. Mungas, Ph.D. Senile dementia and Alzheimer's disease Manuel F. Navedo, Ph.D. Mechanisms controlling vascular function in health and disease John M. Olichney, M.D. Alzheimer's disease; dementia Charan Ranganath, Ph.D. Neural basis and functional organization of human learning and memory Erkin Seker, Ph.D. Multifunctional electrodes; nucleic acid sensors; microfluidic tissue models Vivek Srinivasan, Ph.D. Biomedical optics, neuroimaging, vision, photonics, microscopy Boryana Stamova, M.S., M.S., Ph.D. Transcriptomic architecture in disease to find clinically relevant biomarkers for precision medicine Ameer Taha, Ph.D. Role of lipids and lipid-like environmental toxins in brain disorders Jiandi Wan, Ph.D. Neurovascular coupling Aijun Wang, Ph.D. Functional data analysis, survival analysis, brain functional connectivity, and deep learning Jane-Ling Wang, Ph.D. Novel tools, technologies, and therapeutics for tissue regeneration, especially in the CNS Alyssa Weakley, Ph.D. Novel technology-based approaches to support cognition, daily function, and quality of life Yang K. Xiang, Ph.D. Molecular mechanisms underlying diabetes, heart failure, and Alzheimer's disease Andrew Yonelinas, Ph.D. Memory, perception and amnesia Xinhua Zhan, M.D., Ph.D. Alzheimer's disease; stroke Min Zhao, M.D., Ph.D. Bioelectricity/bioelectronics-guided cell migration and growth in wound healing and regeneration Karen Zito, Ph.D. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity in learning and disease