We are excited to welcome Dr. Latha Devi to the BHI as our new Program Manager. Latha brings a deep passion for biomedical research and extensive experience in scientific administration. Prior to joining BHI, she served as a Principal Scientist at PsychoGenics in Paramus, NJ, where she led innovative drug discovery programs targeting pain, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative disorders. Her expertise spans electrophysiology, EEG, molecular biology, and behavioral neuroscience. Latha’s previous roles include advancing Alzheimer’s disease research at the Nathan Kline Institute and NYU, and investigating mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases during her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a Ph.D. in Neurophysiology from NIMHANS, Bangalore, and a Master’s in Medical Physiology from Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India. She has authored over 20 peer-reviewed publications and presented at numerous international conferences.

We are also excited to welcome Jacqueline Fung to the BHI as our new Grant Administrator. In this role, Jacqueline will support BHI-administered faculty and their trainees with post-award grant management, including budget tracking, financial reporting, and ensuring compliance with university and sponsor guidelines. She will also oversee non-sponsored and endowed accounts at BHI and serves as a liaison with other Rutgers departments. Jacqueline brings a strong background in both administration and research. She has over 17 years of experience as an administrator and accounting specialist. Prior to joining BHI, she served as an administrator in the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences at Rutgers-Newark (SASN) for three years, where she managed grants, coordinated operations, and supported faculty and student initiatives. She also spent 10 years as a researcher in a Pharmacology & Toxicology lab publishing 11 peer-reviewed papers. Jackie is a Rutgers alum with a major in Biology and a minor in Economics.

At the recent Rutgers Board of Governors meeting, Drs. Anna Konova and Avram Holmes were promoted to Associate Professor with Tenure. 

Dr. Konova is Co-Director of the Rutgers-Princeton Center for Computational Cognitive Neuro-Psychiatry (CCNP) in the BHI. Her research combines cutting-edge techniques such as in vivo brain imaging, computational modeling, and mobile phone technologies.

Dr. Holmes is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and a core member of both the Brain Health Institute (BHI) and the Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR). His research focuses on large-scale human brain networks, particularly in relation to higher-level cognition and the interplay between emotion and cognition.

In recognition of April’s Autism Acceptance Month, Dr. Wayne Fisher, Director of Rutgers Center for Autism Research, Education and Services (RUCARES) in the BHI, offers expert commentary on a recent CNN Health article, “Why autism isn’t diagnosed in girls and women”. The article explores growing concerns around the underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis of autism in females—a topic that has sparked increased attention among clinicians and researchers. Dr. Fisher discusses the scientific findings and implications for both clinical care and future research.

Autism rates in the U.S. have reached a record high, with about 1 in 31 children (3.2%) identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to a new CDC report co-authored by Dr. Walter Zahorodny, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at NJMS, Director of the New Jersey Autism Study, and BHI member. The report shows a 22% increase since 2020 and a 375% increase since monitoring began in 2000. In New Jersey, the rate is slightly higher at 3.4% (1 in 29 children), up 18% over the past two years. There is a significant demographic shift that, for the first time, autism is more prevalent among minority children than white children.

Dr. Avram Holmes, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and core member of both BHI and CAHBIR, shares his perspective on the future of fMRI in neuroscience in a new article published in The Transmitter. He emphasizes the importance of cross-disciplinary collaboration to unlock the full potential of fMRI in advancing brain science.

Dr. Linden Parkes, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and core member of BHI and CAHBIR, has published a new preprint titled “Inferring macroscopic intrinsic neural timescales using optimal control theory.” The study introduces a novel modeling framework that integrates network control theory (NCT) with automatic differentiation to better estimate how brain structure influences function over time. The results provide a simple and flexible quantitative framework that more accurately captures the interplay between brain structure, function, and dynamics with greater biophysical realism.

Dr. David Zald, Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and Director of CAHBIR at the BHI, has been awarded an R01 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health for his project, "Temptation Resistance Failures: Transdiagnostic Features and Etiological Influences Across Externalizing and Internalizing Disorders". By studying over 1,000 participants with various mental health conditions, this project will create one of the most detailed datasets ever collected on how temptations are successfully or unsuccessfully resisted across mental health conditions. Findings from the study could inform the development of more personalized interventions and treatments to help people manage self-control across a broad range of mental health conditions. Read more on Rutgers Today.

Dr. Tammy Chung, Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and member of the Rutgers Addiction Research Center (RARC) and BHI, has been awarded an R01 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for her project, " Cannabis effects on physical and mental health in medical cannabis patients." The study aims to identify medical cannabis patients at risk for developing cannabis use disorder (CUD) by refining diagnostic criteria to better distinguish expected effects like tolerance and withdrawal from problematic use. Through a two-year study of 400 patients using Ecological Momentary Assessment and follow-ups, the research will examine cannabis use patterns, THC dose, symptom relief, biomarkers, and health outcomes. Findings will inform clinical guidelines and personalized interventions to reduce cannabis-related harms.

Dr. Salman Qasim, Assistant Professor in the department of Neurosurgery at RWJMS and BHI Core member, has been awarded an R00 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health for his project, "The Computational and Neural Mechanisms Linking Decision-Making and Memory in Humans." The study will use computational modeling and direct brain recordings to uncover how learning processes involved in decision-making influence memory formation. The findings aim to shed light on how disruptions in decision-making may contribute to maladaptive memory processes, with relevance to psychiatric disorders.

Dr. Travis Lear, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience at NJMS and BHI Core member, has been awarded an R00 grant from the National Institute on Aging for his project, "Modulating Alzheimer's Disease by mTORC1 Inhibition to Augment Lysosomal Activity." The study will examine how targeting the PDZRN3-KPTN pathway to boost lysosomal function may help clear toxic tau protein aggregates, offering a new therapeutic approach for Alzheimer’s Disease. Findings will expand understanding of protein degradation pathways and lysosomal biology in neurodegenerative conditions.

Congratulations to Drs. Avram Holmes and Victoria Abraira on receiving the 2024-2025 Rutgers University Faculty Year-End Excellence Award – The Board of Trustees Research Fellowship for Scholarly Excellence! The fellowship honors faculty members who have made truly outstanding contributions to research during their early years at Rutgers.

Dr. Holmes is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and a core member of both the BHI and CAHBIR. His research focuses on large-scale human brain networks, particularly in relation to higher-level cognition and the interplay between emotion and cognition

Dr. Abraira, a BHI member and Associate Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University–New Brunswick, uses mouse molecular genetics to study the sense of touch, from pain to pleasure and everything in between.

Dr. Solesio, a BHI member and Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Rutgers University - Camden, studies the effects of mitochondrial inorganic polyphosphate on different aspects of the physiology of the organelle, including but not limited to bioenergetics and oxidative status, dynamics, mitophagy, and the regulation of the UPRmt.

The PAWG is the only working group at the BHI that's dedicated to all Rutgers trainees engaged in neuroscience, brain and mental health research and training. We would like to collect as much trainee (post-doc, PhD student, Master's, undergraduate) information as we can. This database can then serve as a listserv for us to disseminate important information to you, such as symposiums, seminars, travel awards, fellowships, outdoor events and trivia nights, and even instructions on how to file your taxes on a fellowship. This data will also serve YOU. We will compile anonymous trainee stats (# trainees, pubs, fellowships, etc.) for you to use in your grant and fellowship applications when you discuss the BHI. Please complete this survey.

2025-26 Rutgers Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center Pilot Grant Program

The Rutgers Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in the BHI is excited to announce the 2025-26 pilot grants program, via a generous gift from the “Remember Me, Inc., Fighting Alzheimer’s” Foundation. The initiative aims to enhance collaborative, interdisciplinary research focusing on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) within the Rutgers community. By supporting projects at the intersection of basic science and clinical research, we aim to accelerate the development of therapies and interventions for ADRD. A single pilot grant will be awarded for one year, with funding capped at $50,000 in direct costs. Full applications must be received by May 19, 2025.

2025 Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research Pilot Awards

To facilitate Neuroimaging and Neuroscience research at the Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR), the BHI and CAHBIR are pleased to offer four grant opportunities. In addition to scanning on CAHBIR’s Siemens Prisma 3T magnet, researchers can also propose studies that utilize CAHBIR’s transcranial magnetic stimulator and EEG facilities. The application deadline is June 1, 2025.

Connecting Persons with Autism with Autism Researchers (2025)

The New Jersey Autism Center of Excellence (NJACE), led by Dr. Wayne Fisher, Director of RUCARES in BHI, aims to help New Jersey researchers connect with individuals with autism and their families who may be interested in participating in research. We anticipate funding up to four seed grants with a maximum of $2,000 per award. Please complete the request form and submit it to Hnorris@childrensspecialized.org to be considered for funding.

The BHI and the RARC are pleased to announce the mock grant review program at Rutgers University. The primary objective of this program is to increase the success of grant proposals submitted to NIH by Rutgers investigators from the BHI and/or the RARC.

The Brain Modulation & Control Lab is recruiting paid volunteers to perform computer-based tasks while recording electroencephalography (EEG) data and applying transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to study brain dynamics related to eye movement tasks. If you are interested in this study, please contact bmclab@rwjms.rutgers.edu.

The Rutgers Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center is launching a study to understand the characteristics that may place South Asian populations at heightened risk for Alzheimer's disease. This study seeks to recruit individuals with ethnic or racial backgrounds from South Asian countries, aged 45-70, who have one or more parents with AD. Participants at Rutgers can receive up to $175. Participants will undergo comprehensive assessments every two years, encompassing surveys, cognitive and language assessments, motor function tasks, blood tests, physical and neurological exams, as well as brain imaging.

The RARC is partnering with the Institute for Prevention and Recovery (IFPR) to establish a streamlined process for enhanced collaboration among Rutgers researchers who want to partner with RWJBarnabas to analyze substance use disorder outcome data and/or implement new studies in the health system.

The Research Community Partnership (RCP), overseen by the RARC, is a central enrollment hub for community members to participate in Rutgers research projects, and for researchers to recruit for their studies. By signing up for the RCP, individuals agree to be contacted by approved researchers to participate in projects. Participants can choose to accept or decline any project to which they are invited. Anyone who wants to be a part of research can enroll in the RCP.

The newly established Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center in BHI will serve as a hub for collaboration, innovation, and transformative research, with the mission of making meaningful strides in the prevention, diagnosis, and care of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (ADRD). If you are interested in learning more or collaborating with the center, please submit the form to provide your contact information.

Director of Rutgers Center for Autism Research, Education and Services (RUCARES) at BHI

We seek an outstanding tenure-eligible investigator to serve as the Director of RUCARES. The ideal candidate will be a research leader in autism spectrum disorders with a strong, externally-funded research program who utilizes basic or clinical approaches to address key questions regarding autism and related disorders. One of the primary roles of the Director of RUCARES will be to coordinate and nurture existing research and clinical activities, while striving to grow Rutgers into a world leader in basic and clinical autism research. Applicants must have a PhD, MD, or equivalent degree, with an independent research program focused on autism spectrum disorders.

Director of Neurotechnology Innovation Center at BHI

We seek an accomplished scientist or physician-scientist eligible for the rank of tenured Associate or Full Professor to join the Department of Neurosurgery under new leadership at Rutgers Health and BHI as Director of the new Neurotechnology Innovation Center (NTICe) at BHI. The goal of NTICe is to develop a world-class research center that serves as a platform for interdisciplinary collaborations among basic and translational scientists, clinicians, engineers and industry partners to propel discovery of innovative, groundbreaking neurotechnology that can be brought from the bench to the bedside to treat debilitating neurological and psychiatric diseases.

Director of Center on Research in Pain and Pain Therapeutics at BHI

We seek an accomplished scientist, at the Professor or Associate Professor level, to join the Rutgers Brain Health Institute (BHI) and The Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) as Director of the new Rutgers Center on Research in Pain and Pain Therapeutics (CRPPT). This new center director will have the responsibility to develop a research center focused on mechanisms underlying pain with a goal of developing novel therapeutic approaches. The CRPPT will build collaborations among scientists with the multidisciplinary expertise required to identify novel therapeutic targets, assess efficacy of treatments, and develop precision medicine approaches to diagnose and treat pain.

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor at Rutgers Center for NeuroMetabolism

The newly launched Rutgers Center for NeuroMetabolism (CNM), in collaboration with the Child Health Institute of New Jersey, the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, and the BHI, are seeking to recruit open rank, tenure-track/tenured faculty positions at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor. We seek researchers with expertise in neurometabolism with a focus on mechanisms underlying metabolic, neurological, and psychiatric disorders, as well as their translational potential for clinical therapies.

The Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at the BHI is seeking data scientists for a tenure-track faculty position at the Associate or Full Professor level at RWJMS and BHI within RBHS. We seek a faculty member who is experienced in using advanced statistical and machine learning techniques to analyze datasets related to aging, Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias.

The Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at BHI is seeking a board-certified geriatric psychiatrist or geriatric neurologist with clinical and research experience in Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. The candidate will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team including physicians experts in dementia research and care, neuropsychologists and neuropathologists, on a clinician-scientist track. Applicants should have experience in conducting clinical trials (as PI or site PI), experience conducting longitudinal studies, and an interest in studying preclinical Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

The Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at BHI is seeking a neuroimaging leader for a tenure-track position at the Associate or Full Professor level at BHI, and RWJMS within RBHS. We seek a faculty member who is experienced in using neuroimaging techniques to image human brain structure and activity as it relates to aging, Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. The candidate will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, including neurologists, neuropsychologists, and neuropathologists.

The Department of Psychology in the Rutgers University-New Brunswick, School of Arts and Sciences in Piscataway, New Jersey invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the Assistant Professor level in Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience (BSN), with a start date of September 1, 2025. The ideal candidate is expected to lead a research program using advanced neuroscience approaches that would complement departmental strengths in one or more of the following pre-clinical areas: 1) sensory and computational neuroscience; 2) motivational and affective neuroscience; and 3) learning and memory.

The BHI, RUCARES, and Department of Pediatrics at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (RWJMS) are seeking a tenure-track assistant or associate professor for a clinical research program focused on improving interventions for young children with autism spectrum disorder. 

The CAHBIR is recruiting for multiple faculty positions at all levels (Assistant/Associate/ Professor). We seek investigators who use innovative MRI approaches to image human brain structure and function. Individuals who utilize additional approaches such as EEG, tDCS, and rTMS to study human brain function would also be attractive.