BHI Launches New Brain Health Educational Content on Website & Social Media | | We launched a new educational content aimed at helping the lay public better understand key topics in brain health and neuroscience. Our first topic is on fentanyl, as it is one of the most searched words in the field of substance use disorders. As part of this series, we are inviting faculty at the BHI to share insights from clinical, research, and policy perspectives. Please reach out to Lily Zhang lily.zhangty@rutgers.edu) if you would like to contribute. | | Dr. Ethan Cowan, Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at NJMS, Associate Director of Treatment & Recovery at the RARC, and Core Member of BHI, explains what fentanyl is, how dependence differs from addiction, and why medication-assisted treatment is a critical tool in saving lives. | | Dr. David Barker, Assistant Professor of Psychology at the Rutgers New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences, and Core Member of the BHI and RARC, explores the neurological mechanisms of addiction and shares evidence-based approaches for treatment and overdose prevention. | | Dr. Elizabeth Stone, health services and policy researcher at IFH and RWJMS-Psychiatry, shares policy-level solutions and community engagement tactics. Dr. Stone highlights practical steps, such as access to Naloxone or Narcan, fentanyl test strips, and prevention initiatives, and available resources for individuals and communities. | | President Tate Visits Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research at the BHI | | We were honored to welcome Rutgers University President William Tate IV and Chancellor Brian Strom to the Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR) in the Rutgers Brain Health Institute (BHI) on August 22. | | BHI Director Dr. Gary Aston-Jones' presentation highlighted how BHI, one of the largest neuroscience institutes in the world, has fostered the growth of cutting-edge research at Rutgers over the last ten years, advancing brain health through innovative basic, translational and clinical research. | President Tate toured CAHBIR’s human brain imaging research core facility which houses new 3T MRI, EEG and TMS equipment. The state-of-the-art facility on Rutgers Busch campus in Piscataway supports research on human brain function, structure, and disorders. |
| Welcome Dr. Luciana Mascarenhas Fonseca | | Dr. Luciana Mascarenhas Fonseca joined the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center in the BHI as a core faculty member in August. Dr. Fonseca is a tenure track assistant professor of Psychiatry in RWJMS and a core member of IFH. Her research focuses on understanding both pathological and successful aging, with a special interest in early cognitive biomarkers to predict dementia before symptoms appear. She leads projects on cognition in individuals with Down Syndrome, indigenous communities, and people living with diabetes, using innovative real-time assessments to improve early detection and prevention. Dr. Fonseca is excited to collaborate with colleagues across disciplines here at Rutgers and beyond to advance brain health across the lifespan. |
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Spotlight on Dr. Huda Akil:
Leading Neuroscientist to Keynote Rutgers Addiction Research Center Fall Symposium
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The Rutgers Addiction Research Center (RARC) in the BHI is honored to welcome Dr. Huda Akil as the keynote speaker for its 2025 Fall Symposium on September 5. Dr. Huda Akil, a pioneering figure in neuroscience and mental health research, will present “Searching for the Neurobiological and Genetic Basis of Temperament: Relevance to Addiction”. “Her discoveries about the neurobiology of stress, mood, and addiction are foundational to our field. What inspires me most is not just the brilliance of her science, but her ability to bridge molecular findings with real-world impact. That vision aligns closely with what we’re building at the RARC, said Dr. Danielle Dick, Director of the RARC.
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| Repurposing Cancer Drugs for Alzheimer’s: Insights from Rutgers Expert Dr. Marc Tambini | | | | |
Dr. Marc Tambini, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience at NJMS, shares insights into a pivotal new study published in the journal Cell. The study offers an innovative approach—repurposing two FDA-approved cancer drugs, letrozole and irinotecan, to target Alzheimer’s disease’s complex pathology. “This paper may one day be recognized as the start of a broader movement away from amyloid-centric therapies toward a cellular understanding of Alzheimer’s,” said Dr. Tambini.
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Dr. Luciana Mascarenhas Fonseca Receives NIA R03 Grant to Study Brain Changes in Aging American Indians
Project: "Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Vascular Brain Injury- related changes in longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging associated with Intraindividual Cognitive Variability in Aging American Indians"
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Dr. Hai Sun Receives NINDS R18 Grant to Develop Innovative Closed-Loop Device for Epilepsy Treatment
Project: "An Epileptic-Network Closed-loop Stimulation Device (enCLS) Designed to Target and Arrest Ictogenesis"
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Dr. Brian Daniels Awarded NINDS R01 Grant to Explore Immune Control of Neurotransmission
Project: "Innate Immune Control of Neurotransmission"
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Dr. Brianna Altman Receives NIDA K23 Grant to Study Emotional Distress and Cigarette Smoking
Project: "A Multi-Method Study of Momentary Distress Intolerance and Combustible Cigarette Smoking"
Learn more
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Dr. Benton Purnell in Dr. Detlev Boison’s Lab Awarded NINDS K99 Grant to Study How Seizures and Alcohol Poisoning Disrupt Breathing
Project: "Convergent mechanisms of respiratory dysregulation after seizures and alcohol poisoning"
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| | Claim your minute (and possibly more) of fame!! If you want to share any news (e.g., awards, grants, publications, patents, donor gifts) in future monthly newsletters, please send them to Lily Zhang (lily.zhangty@rutgers.edu) or use this Microsoft form to submit your news. We will also push these out on social media. So don’t be shy! Share your good news with us! We would love to hear from you!! | | New Event Calendar Aggregator on the BHI Website | We encourage the Rutgers Neuroscience community to add their neuroscience and brain health research-related events to the Event Calendar on the BHI website. This will minimize scheduling conflicts for neuroscience and brain health events at Rutgers. To put your events on the BHI website Event calendar, BHI has obtained an event calendar aggregator software that can pull events you post on a shared Outlook or Google calendar created by BHI. If you’d like instructions on how to add your event, or if you have any questions, please contact Lily Zhang (lily.zhangty@rutgers.edu) to request access to the shared BHI Event Outlook or Google Calendar. Learn more |
| New Banner Ad Opportunities on the BHI Website | We’ve launched a new banner ad section on the BHI website to help faculty and trainees promote events, study recruitment, job openings, and news announcements. With monthly traffic projected to reach 10,000 visitors, and placements on the most-visited pages, your message will gain high visibility across Rutgers and beyond. Your ad will reach not only the Rutgers community but also external experts, prospective students, and potential collaborators and donors who visit the site. We will assist with designing engaging graphics and placing your announcement on high-traffic pages across the site. If you are interested in featuring your announcement, please contact Lily Zhang (lily.zhangty@rutgers.edu). Advertise with us |
| Join the Neurodevelopment Focus Area Working Group (ND-FAWG) Community | | The ND-FAWG at the BHI is creating a mailing list for faculty and trainees to share information on seminars, events, resources, and research related to neurodevelopment and neurodevelopmental disorders. After the list is assembled, the FAWG will host a town hall to introduce its role and work with the community to identify activities that foster connections, support, and collaborations. All members of the Rutgers neuroscience community are welcome to participate, regardless of FAWG affiliation. If you’d like to hear from the ND-FAWG, please fill out the survey. Complete the Survey | | BHI Postdoctoral Alliance Working Group (PAWG) Trainee Information Collection Form | | The PAWG is dedicated to all Rutgers trainees in neuroscience, brain, and mental health research. Please complete this survey to help us build a trainee database for sharing opportunities and compiling useful anonymous stats for your grant and fellowship applications. Complete the Survey | | BHI Announcements & Opportunities | | |
New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury Funding Opportunities
The New Jersey Commission on Brain Injury is announcing their Funding Opportunities for Fiscal Year 2026. The estimated amount of money in the grant program available for all grant categories in the 2026 grant cycle is $6 million. Learn more
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BHI Funding Opportunities Newsletter
We are excited to launch a new monthly Funding Opportunities email! Each month, we will share a curated selection of federal (NIH) and non-federal (private and nonprofit) funding opportunities relevant to neuroscience, brain health, and mental health research. Visit our website to explore the full list and discover more funding opportunities. Learn more
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BHI Motivational and Affective Neuroscience FAWG Mock Grant Review Program
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. Learn more
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TMS-EEG Study of Eye Movements and Memory
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. Learn more
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Brazilian Aging in New York - New Jersey (BRAINY-NJ) Study
The project investigates risk and resilience factors for mental/brain health and dementia in Brazilian immigrants (55+ years old), a growing Latino population underrepresented in health-related research in the U.S. Participants may receive up to $125 for compensation. Learn more
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Alzheimer’s Risk Among South Asian Populations
The study aims to understand the characteristics that may place South Asian populations at heightened risk for Alzheimer's disease and seeks to recruit individuals with ethnic or racial backgrounds from South Asian countries, aged 45-70, who have one or more parents with AD. Learn more
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IFPR – Rutgers Research Collaboration
The RARC is partnering with the Institute for Prevention and Recovery (IFPR) to establish a streamlined process for 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. Learn more
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Rutgers Research Community Partnership (RCP)
The 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. Learn more
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Join the ADRD Research Center Community
The 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. Learn more
| | Join us and make a lasting impact in neuroscience research and education. Discover current opportunities to advance your career and collaborate with leading experts at Rutgers. View all open positions here | |
- Director of Rutgers Center for Autism Research, Education and Services (RUCARES) at BHI
- Director of Neurotechnology Innovation Center at BHI
- Director of Center on Research in Pain and Pain Therapeutics at BHI
- Open Rank Associate Professor/Professor in Data Science
- Human Neuroimaging Faculty Position in Alzheimer’s Disease
- Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Early Intervention Research in Autism
- Human Neuroimaging Faculty Positions
- Postdoctoral Associate in the Addiction Neuroimaging, Motivation, and Interventions (ANMI) Lab
| | If you want to share any opportunities (e.g., open positions, grants, surveys) in future monthly newsletters, please send them to Lily Zhang (lily.zhangty@rutgers.edu) or use this Microsoft form to submit your opportunities. | | | | |
BHI JFWG NIH Grant Writing Workshop
The BHI Junior Faculty Working Group is sponsoring a grant-writing workshop, delivered by AtKisson Training Group, for junior faculty looking to get concrete guidance on how to prepare R01-level grants for the NIH. The workshop will be held in person over two half-days and will be highly interactive. Learn more
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Rutgers Addiction Research Center (RARC) Fall Symposium
The symposium brings together researchers, clinicians, and community partners to share new findings and innovative approaches in addiction science. It is an opportunity to connect with experts across disciplines and explore the future of addiction research at Rutgers. The program will feature a keynote address by Dr. Huda Akil, invited presentations, research sessions, a panel on translating evidence into practice, and a poster session. Learn more
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NJACE and Rutgers Center for Autism Research, Education, & Services (RUCARES) Symposium
We aim to bring together leading local and national researchers and physicians in the field of autism and related areas. Keynote speakers are Dr. Dorothea Lerman, Director of the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities at the University of Houston, Clear Lake, and Dr. Sara Jane Webb, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscientist at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Learn more
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2025 BHI 11th Annual Symposium
Join us for a day of discovery and connection as we highlight the five BHI centers and hear cutting-edge talks by Rutgers neuroscience faculty and trainees. The keynote speaker is Moses V. Chao, PhD, Professor of Cell Biology, Neuroscience & Physiology, and Psychiatry, NYU Langone Medical Center. Learn more
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BHI Holiday & Award Reception
Save the date for the 2025 Rutgers Brain Health Institute Holiday & Awards Reception on Friday, December 12, from 6–9 PM at the Rutgers Club. We will celebrate the exceptional contributions of BHI faculty to neuroscience research and service.
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Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center Symposium
Save the date for the AD Center’s Annual Symposium – bringing together leading researchers, clinicians, and members of the ADRD community. Learn more
| | If you want to feature any news, opportunities, and events in future monthly newsletters, please send them to Lily Zhang (lily.zhangty@rutgers.edu) or use this Microsoft form to submit your news. Thank you for your cooperation and support! | | | | |
