August 31 International Overdose Awareness Day | |
International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31 aims to raise awareness about the impact of overdose, reduce the stigma associated with drug-related deaths, and promote the importance of harm-reduction strategies. We celebrated International Overdose Awareness Day by spotlighting Dr. Kristina Jackson, Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS, Associate Director of Epidemiology, Etiology & Prevention at Rutgers Addiction Research Center (RARC) in the BHI, and BHI Core Faculty. | |
Dr. Jackson’s research largely centers on the etiology and course of substance use among adolescents and young adults. She is currently funded by NIAAA and NIDA to examine individual- and contextual-level risk factors for substance use initiation and progression to increasingly severe use, including in vulnerable populations and youth with mental health comorbidities. Her work also involves understanding the sources of messaging surrounding cannabis and people’s motives for using cannabis and the context of their use. She has conducted work on the remission of substance use disorders in college students and across young adulthood, and employs fine-grained approaches to study co-use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis. Watch the video to learn more! | |
Welcome Dr. Sarah Brislin | |
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Dr. Sarah Brislin joined BHI as Core Faculty on July 1 and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at RWJMS. Dr. Brislin focuses on determining biological mechanisms that contribute to the expression and development of externalizing behavior in adolescence. She is interested in understanding the biological, environmental, and developmental influences on the emergence, persistence, and desistance of antisocial behavior and substance use in adolescence and early adulthood. | |
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Dr. Sangmi Chung joined BHI as Core Faculty on August 15 and is a Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at RWJMS. Dr. Chung aims to find better treatments for cortical interneuron-associated brain disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorders, by creating inhibitory interneurons from induced pluripotent stem cells and studying their abnormalities. Her work also includes developing interneuron cell therapies, which have shown promise in reducing seizures and improving cognitive function in animal models of epilepsy, with the goal of translating these therapies for clinical application. | |
Welcome Dr. Xiaobing Zhang | |
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Dr. Xiaobing Zhang joined BHI as Core Faculty and as an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience at NJMS on September 1. His lab uses in vivo optical imaging, optogenetics, chemogenetics, and slice electrophysiology to study neural circuits of motivated behaviors, especially eating and social motivation. The goal of his lab is to understand neural dysfunction in the development of obesity, eating, and social disorders. | |
Welcome Dr. Sharon Sanz Simon | |
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Dr. Sharon Sanz Simon joined BHI as Core Faculty and as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NJMS on September 1. She studies non-pharmacological interventions to promote brain health and mental health and enhance cognition, health behaviors, and quality of life in older adults, including those at risk of Alzheimer`s disease and Related Dementia. | |
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Dr. Ethan Cowan joined BHI as Core Faculty and as a Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at NJMS and Associate Director of Treatment & Recovery at RARC on September 3. Dr. Cowan has over 20 years of experience conducting clinical research in the Emergency Department (ED). Specializing in randomized controlled trials and cohort studies, he is an expert in designing and evaluating interventions for ED patients. His current focus is on improving care for those with opioid use disorder, serving as a key investigator in major national trials on ED initiation of buprenorphine. | |
Dr. Linden Parkes’ Study on Dynamics of the Structural Connectome Published in Nature Protocols | |
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Congratulations to Dr. Linden Parkes, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and BHI Core Faculty, for publishing a new paper in Nature Protocols. The study, “A network control theory pipeline for studying the dynamics of the structural connectome”, decodes the connectome with network control theory-based software in Python and is selected as “This Week's Featured Protocol”. | |
Dr. Tibor Rohacs’ Team Published New Paper in Nature Communications | |
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Matthew Gabrielle, a PhD student in Dr. Tibor Rohacs’s lab, published a new study titled “Phosphatidic acid is an endogenous negative regulator of PIEZO2 channels and mechanical sensitivity” in Nature Communications. The study identifies phosphatidic acid as a specific inhibitor of the mechanically-activated PIEZO2 ion channels. The team also demonstrates that interfering with cellular pathways that generate this lipid can modulate mechanical sensitivity both in isolated sensory neurons and in vivo in mice. The closely related PIEZO1 channels were not affected by phosphatidic acid, indicating the potential for developing specific PIEZO2 inhibitors that can be used to combat inflammatory pain. Read the story “Rutgers Researchers Discover New Way to Control the Sense of Touch” published in Rutgers Today. | |
Dr. Justin Yao Shared Insights on Link between Hearing Loss and Dementia in North Jersey | |
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Dr. Justin Yao, Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at RWJMS and BHI Core Faculty, was recently quoted in a North Jersey article "Constant noise in NJ isn't just annoying. How it can trigger hearing loss, panic and more". Dr. Yao discussed the impact of constant noise on hearing loss, emphasizing that prolonged exposure to loud noise can contribute to hearing loss and may increase the risk of dementia. | |
Rutgers and Princeton Receive a $16 Million NIMH Grant to Use Interdisciplinary Approaches to Study Mental Health and Illness | |
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Core faculty in the BHI and Princeton University have been awarded a five-year, $16 Million Silvio O. Conte Center for Translational Mental Health Research P50 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to study latent cause inference - a fundamental cognitive process crucial to understanding various normal cognitive processes as well as mental health conditions. Dr. Yael Niv, Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience at Princeton and Co-Director of the Rutgers-Princeton Center for Computational Cognitive Neuro-Psychiatry (CCNP) in the BHI, is the Principal Investigator of the P50 grant award. | |
Dr. Morgan James Receives NIDA R01 Grant to Study Sleep Disturbances and Relapse Risk in Cocaine Abstinence | |
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Dr. Morgan James, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and BHI Core Faculty, received a $1.9 million R01 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for the project “Orexin (hypocretin) signaling in ventral tegmental area as a common mediator of sleep disturbances and drug demand in cocaine abstinence”. Poor sleep during cocaine abstinence is one of the strongest predictors of return to use (relapse). This project will characterize how cocaine alters the diurnal activity of orexin neurons during cocaine abstinence and the implications for sleep architecture. This project will also determine if normalizing orexin signaling across the day/night cycle during abstinence can reduce the risk of relapse. | |
Dr. Ying-Xian Pan Receives NIDA R01 Grant and HeathAdvance Award | |
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Dr. Ying-Xian Pan, Professor of Anesthesiology at NJMS and BHI Core Faculty, received a five-year R01 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for the project “Molecular mechanisms and functions underlying the role of Fto in mu opioid actions”. The proposed studies promise to provide new insights into in vivo molecular mechanisms in mu opioid action regarding RNA methylation and identify new targets downstream of FTO, which may have therapeutic potentials for developing a novel strategy to reduce mu opioid tolerance and reward in pain management. | |
Dr. Pan also received a Rutgers HeathAdvance Award for the project “Mitigating adverse side effects of clinically used mu opioids by targeting exon 7-associated splice variants of the mu opioid receptor gene, OPRM1, via nanobody and antisense oligonucleotide without altering mu opioid analgesia in pain management”. The goal of this project is to generate and characterize a nanobody and an antisense oligonucleotide targeting human exon 7, aimed at reducing the adverse effects of mu opioids, thereby laying the groundwork for developing a therapeutic medication that combines mu opioids with nanobody and/or antisense oligonucleotides in pain management. | |
Dr. Tammy Chung Receives NIDA R01 Grant to Study Cannabis Effects on Health in Medical Cannabis Patients | |
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Dr. Tammy Chung, Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS, received a five-year R01 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for the study “Cannabis effects on physical and mental health in medical cannabis patients”. The longitudinal study will collect new data on cannabis use in relation to health at micro (daily) and macro (follow-up over 2-years) time scales to understand the roles of tolerance and withdrawal (symptoms often experienced when taking medication as recommended) in likelihood of addiction among medicinal cannabis patients, and will identify risk factors for cannabis use disorder as a possible iatrogenic effect of using medicinal cannabis to inform clinical practice guidelines. | |
Dr. David Zald Receives NIMH R21 Grant to Study Decision-Making in Schizophrenia | |
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Dr. David Zald, Director of the Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR) in BHI, Henry Rutgers Term Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS, and BHI Core Faculty, received a two-year R21 Grant from the National Institute of Mental Health for the project “Promoting Adaptive Decision-Making in Schizophrenia (SZ) Through Improved Evidence Integration: A Combined Neuroimaging and Experience Sampling Study”. This project will identify how decision-making in individuals with SZ is impacted by attentional, behavioral, and cognitive processes preceding decision choice, and whether associated neural signals predict daily, real-world decisions. The study also examines whether maladaptive decision-making can be improved by intentionally altering the focus of attention during the decision process. | |
Dr. Jill Rabinowitz Receives NIMH R01 Grant to Study Suicidal Ideation Among African American Youth | |
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Dr. Jill Rabinowitz, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and BHI Core Faculty, received a three-year R01 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health for the project “Social-Ecological and Individual Determinants of the Course of Suicidal Ideation & Attempt among African Americans from Early Adolescence to Young Adulthood”. Leveraging 20 years of data collected annually from ages 6-26 among a low-income, underserved sample of Black youth, the study will map the course of suicide ideation and behaviors (SIB) during adolescence and emerging adulthood, and will unveil critical risk and protective individual- and environmental factors associated with SIB course. | |
Dr. Vincent McGinty Awarded NIMH R21 Grant to Study Prefrontal Cortex Manipulation in Decision-Making Research | |
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Dr. Vincent McGinty, Assistant Professor in the Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience at SASN and BHI member, received a two-year R21 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health for the project “A novel technique for selective manipulation of prefrontal computations in economic choice”. The study aims to develop a new method for testing the function of the primate prefrontal cortex in decision-making and other forms of executive function. The goal of this new approach is to modify selected patterns of neural activity while leaving other patterns unchanged, by using precision-guided, multi-channel electrical stimulation. If successful, this technique could allow researchers to change the content of information represented in prefrontal cortex (such as the perceived value of a stimulus or the location of a goal) and would have many uses in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience. | |
Dr. Wilma Friedman Receives NINDS R21 Grant to Study Role of p75NTR in Oligodendrocyte Development | |
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Dr. Wilma Friedman, Distinguished Professor of Cellular Neurobiology at SASN and BHI member, received a two-year R21 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke in collaboration with Dr. Steven Levison, Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience at NJMS and BHI Core Faculty, for the project “p75NTR regulates oligodendrocyte progenitor development in the Subventricular Zone of postnatal rats”. Exploring how the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) regulates oligodendrocyte progenitor development in the subventricular zone of postnatal rats, the study aims to understand how p75NTR controls the timing and balance of cell differentiation, which is crucial for normal brain development, and its potential impact on remyelination after injury in adult rats. | |
Dr. Huaye Zhang Receives NINDS RF1 Grant to Explore Polarity Dysregulation in Alzheimer’s Disease | |
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Dr. Huaye Zhang, Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology at RWJMS, received an RF1 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for the project “Polarity dysregulation in Alzheimer’s disease”. The project focuses on the Par polarity complex, which has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease in several recent genetic studies. | |
Dr. Ian Oldenburg Awarded NINDS Grant for "Sculpted Light in the Brain" Conference 2024 and Searle Scholar | |
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Dr. Ian Oldenburg, Assistant Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology at RWJMS and BHI member, received a grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke to support the "Sculpted Light in the Brain Conference 2024." Dr. Oldenburg founded this conference series in 2017, attracting an international audience to foster collaborations across neuroscience, computer science, and optics. The next conference will be held in 2027 in Berkeley, California. Dr. Oldenburg was also awarded a prestigious Searle Scholar, the first from Rutgers since 2012. | |
Dr. Mi-Hyeon Jang Awarded NCI R01 and DOD Grants to Identify Biomarkers and Therapies for Chemobrain | |
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Dr. Mi-Hyeon Jang, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at RWJMS and BHI Core Faculty, received a five-year R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute and a three-year DOD grant for the project titled “Identification of novel biomarkers and therapeutic strategies in chemobrain”. Chemobrain is a term commonly used by cancer survivors who experience difficulties with memory, concentration, task completion, and learning new information during and after cancer treatment. These proposed translational projects aim to uncover critical mechanisms mediating chemobrain and pave the way for transformative clinical interventions to alleviate cognitive disabilities associated with chemotherapy. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), lung cancer and other adult cancers. | |
Dr. Gleb Shumyatsky Receives NIA R03 and NICHD R01 Grants | |
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Dr. Gleb Shumyatsky, Professor of Genetics at Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences and BHI member, received a two-year R03 grant from the National Institute on Aging for the project “The role of microtubule network in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease”. The project will examine how manipulations of microtubule stability affect microtubule- mediated synaptic protein localization, synaptic function and memory in mice modeling some of the AD-related mechanisms. | |
Dr. Shumyatsky also received a five-year R01 grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development for the study “The Role of Corticolimbic Circuits in Maternal Behavior”. The results of this work will guide neural circuit-based, gene-based and pharmacological strategies for improving mothers’ well-being and their ability to take care of their offspring. | |
Dr. Vanessa Routh Receives NIDDK R01 Grant to Study Hypoglycemia Awareness and Unawareness in Diabetes | |
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Dr. Vanessa Routh, Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience at NJMS and BHI member, received a five-year R01 from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for the project “Orexin glucose-inhibited neurons and hypoglycemia unawareness”. All individuals with type 1 and >30% of those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1/2DM) require intensive insulin therapy to manage their blood glucose levels. The study is the first to shed light on the mechanisms of hypoglycemia awareness/unawareness and as such are of critical importance for patients with T1/2DM. | |
Dr. Max Tischfield and Dr. Gaetan Barbet Awarded Pilot Grant | |
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The Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer's Center at BHI announced the winners of the inaugural pilot grant. Congratulations to Dr. Max Tischfield, Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience at SAS and BHI Member, and Dr. Gaetan Barbet, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at RWJMS, who will study Piezo1 restoration of glymphatic waste clearance in aging and Alzheimer's disease. | |
Ayma Malik Receives NIDA F31 Grant for Opioid Research | |
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Ayma Malik, a PhD Candidate in BHI Core faculty Dr. Ying-Xian Pan’s lab, received the NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (NRSA) F31 Predoctoral Fellowship from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for the project “Exploring the Role of Alternatively Spliced Variants of the Mu Opioid Receptor Gene, Oprm1, in Opioid-Induced Respiratory Depression in Gene Targeted Rat Models”. Opioid-induced respiratory depression is one of the leading causes of opioid overdose deaths. The project will not only provide a deeper understanding of the unique influence of the mu opioid receptor subtypes on opioid-induced respiratory depression, mediated by two brain regions crucial for regulating respiratory function, but will also enable the development of potential therapeutic strategies to reduce unnecessary opioid-related deaths. | |
Emmanuel Eduardo Alvarez Receives NIDA F31 Grant to Study Opioid Use Disorder | |
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Manny Alvarez, a PhD student in BHI Core faculty Dr. Anna Konova’s lab, received a two-year F31 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for the project “Characterizing the Formation and Maintenance of Drug-biased Beliefs in Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)”. The project will study the behavioral, neural, and longitudinal mechanisms of biased beliefs in treatment-seeking individuals with OUD and matched healthy controls. | |
Emma Schweitzer Received NIDA F31 Grant for Research on Food Addiction | |
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Emma Schweitzer, a PhD student in BHI Core faculty Dr. Anna Konova’s lab, received a two-year F31 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for the project “Craving's Role in Biasing Subjective Value Computation in Food Addiction”. The project will clarify how craving exerts its effects at the neural level in food addiction, and behavioral addictions more broadly, which could inform future interventions aimed at combating craving-associated overconsumption behavior. | |
Tess Kowalski Receives NINDS F31 Grant to Study Tourette Syndrome | |
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Tess Kowalski, a PhD Candidate in Dr. Max Tischfield’s lab, received a three-year F31 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for the project “Investigating Habitual Behavior and Dopamine Dysregulation in Tourette Syndrome (TS)”. The project will begin to reveal the uninvestigated neuronal substrates of habit formation and dopamine dysregulation hypothesized in TS, as well as aid in future research for improving therapeutics/interventions for TS. | |
Matthew Gabrielle Receives NINDA F31 Grant for Research on PIEZO2 Channels | |
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Matthew Gabrielle, a PhD student in Dr. Tibor Rohacs’s lab, received a two-year F31 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for the project “Negative regulatory mechanism of mechanically activated PIEZO2 channels by TMEM120A/TACAN”. This project focuses on how the TMEM120A protein alters the lipid composition of cells leading to the inhibition of mechanically activated PIEZO2 channels. It also examines whether these newly identified inhibitory lipids are sufficient to alleviate inflammatory mechanical pain. | |
Neel Muzumdar Receives NIAAA F31 Grant for Alcohol and Vascular Health Research | |
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Neel Muzumdar, a graduate student in Dr. Jennifer Buckman’s lab, received a three-year F31 grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism for the project “Vascular Reactivity to Compounding Stressors across the Blood Alcohol Curve: Interactions with Chronic Drinking and Polysubstance Use”. The project proposes that the identification of early biomarkers of alcohol’s effects on the vasculature is critically needed to lower the prevalence of alcohol-related cardiovascular disease. The project will unravel individualized vascular dynamics across the blood alcohol concentration curve in relation to chronic alcohol use behaviors, a concurrent acute stressor, and alcohol/cannabis co-use behaviors. | |
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!! | |
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We are deeply sorrowed to share the passing of our remarkable and inspiring colleague, Dr. Mark Plummer. Mark joined Rutgers in 1991 when the department was still the Department of Biological Sciences and was an integral member of Rutgers, DLS and the new CBN Department. He was a renowned electrophysiologist who made seminal contributions to our understanding of neural electrical signaling and its impact to memory retention.
As an educator, he was one of the most effective and appreciated faculty by our students. Even in the age of PowerPoint presentations, Mark captivated and educated students with his characteristic ‘chalk and blackboard’ teaching style that students always loved. His service to the department included serving as Co-Vice Chair from 2008 to 2016. In his capacity as Vice Chair, he was instrumental in the transition of the department into the successful CBN department that we are today.
Mark was key in implementing numerous initiatives to improve our curriculum as well as key in administering several endowments that provided summer research support to the Division of Life Science graduate students. In 2011, he also instituted a very popular tradition in the department, the CBN graduating student personalized Medallion. This was Mark’s brainchild and labor of love that he oversaw every year and donated the funding to support the program, a program tremendously appreciated by all our graduates.
Mark's legacy includes implementing vital curriculum improvements and establishing cherished traditions, such as the personalized CBN graduating student Medallion. His dedication and generosity will be remembered by all who had the privilege of working with him.
Details about a celebration of his life on September 7th will be shared soon. Donations to support student research in Mark’s name can be made at rutgersfoundation.org/plummer, and his obituary is on the university website (https://universitysecretary.rutgers.edu/memoriam).
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BHI Announcements & Opportunities | |
2024-2025 Rutgers Brain Health Institute Trainee Travel Awards | |
The BHI is pleased to announce the Fall 2024 trainee travel award for Rutgers neuroscience PhD, MD/PhD students and post-docs. BHI will provide $500 awards to help offset the cost of attending a national or international conference related to neuroscience or mental health research during the current year (i.e., by December 31, 2024). For the Fall cycle, there will be awards in each of the four BHI focus areas- Neurodegeneration and Injury, Neurodevelopment, Motivational and Affective Neuroscience, and Cognitive and Sensory Neuroscience. Each of the four Focus Area Working Groups (FAWGs) will select the awardees. In addition, the Junior Faculty Working Group (JFWG) will select candidates for travel awards set aside exclusively for graduate students or post-docs whose primary mentors are junior faculty (defined as faculty holding a tenure-track Assistant Professor title) engaged in neuroscience or mental health research. Submit all materials by September 30, 2024, to bhi@bhi.rutgers.edu. | |
Fall 2024 BHI-CAHBIR Pilot Research Grant Program | |
The Brain Health Institute and Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research are pleased to announce the availability of funds for pilot grants for human neuroimaging studies. Separate mechanisms are available for RU-NB and RBHS faculty. The application due date is October 15, 2024. | |
New Jersey Health Foundation Grants Program | |
The New Jersey Health Foundation Grants Program is available for submission, with up to $5 million in available funding. Faculty and personnel will be eligible to apply for a grant beginning September 13, 2024. Applications will be accepted from September 13, 2024, through November 8, 2024, with an anticipated start date of February 17, 2025. Detailed information, including Policies & Procedures, FAQs, and a sample Letter of Agreement, can be found on the website. | |
Connecting Persons with Autism with Autism Researchers | |
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. | |
Learning Health System Scholars Training Program | |
The LHS Scholars Training Program aims to cultivate a new generation of leaders in Learning Health Systems (LHS) Science by providing comprehensive education, training, mentorship, and career development opportunities tailored to the professional interests of embedded investigators, clinicians, and health system personnel. Their goal is to nurture LHS Scholars who will contribute to academia, industry, and government. | |
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. | |
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. If you are interested in this study, please contact bmclab@rwjms.rutgers.edu | |
Learn About Your Risk for Addiction | |
The Rutgers Addiction Research Center in BHI is currently running a research study to evaluate a newly developed online platform that provides individuals with personalized risk profiles that combine genetic, behavioral, and environmental information. Participants will receive their personalized risk profile for free as well as up to $40 in compensation for completing research surveys to help the study team evaluate the program. | |
Alzheimer’s Risk Among South Asian Populations | |
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. For eligibility and inquiries, contact the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer Research Center at adrd@bhi.edu or visit www.adrd.rutgers.edu | |
IFPR – Rutgers Research Collaboration | |
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. | |
Rutgers Research Community Partnership | |
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. | |
Join the ADRD research center community | |
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. | |
Rutgers Training in Addiction Research Program (TARP) Postdoctoral Position | |
The Rutgers Training in Addiction Research Program (TARP) announced the availability of a postdoctoral position. Interested applicants should email their CV to Chris Pierce at chris.pierce@rutgers.edu. | |
Faculty, Postdoctoral Associate, or Research Assistant Positions in Neonatology Research at Biomedical Research Institute of New Jersey | |
MidAtlantic Neonatology Associates and Biomedical Research Institute of New Jersey (BRInj) are recruiting scientists to lead and/or assist our Neonatology faculty with developing a research program on the effects of prenatal/perinatal stress on neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes. We are particularly interested in candidates with strong expertise in rodent behavior, and additional experience with immunohistochemistry, microscopy, and/or molecular biology. Applicants should submit a CV and cover letter to Dr. Elizabeth Eckman, Director of Preclinical Research, lizeckman@brinj.org | |
The Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at the BHI is recruiting a tenured or tenure-track faculty member at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor level to expand our research portfolio in the basic science of neurodegenerative diseases. We seek scholars with innovative, rigorous, and impactful basic research programs focusing on the gut-brain axis related to aging, Alzheimer’s disease, or associated dementias. Applicants should submit a CV and a brief statement of research accomplishments and plans to Dr. Miriam Bocarsly at bocarsme@njms.rutgers.edu and a copy to bhi@bhi.rutgers.edu. | |
Multiple Faculty Positions in Alzheimer’s Disease | |
The Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at BHI seeks a neuroimaging leader for a tenure-track position at the Associate or Full Professor level, a board-certified geriatric psychiatrist with clinical experience in caring for persons with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias, and a neuropsychologist with a research career devoted to the neuropsychology of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. | |
Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Early Intervention Research in Autism | |
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. | |
Multiple Faculty Positions in Human Brain Imaging | |
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. | |
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. | |
Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Translational Work-in-Progress Series (ADRD-TWIP) | |
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The Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center in the Brain Health Institute is organizing a series of translational work-in-progress talks every first Wednesday of the month at noon. The series will be a sounding board for the AD research at Rutgers. The goal is to alternate between clinical and basic presentations to open new opportunities for translational research and for discussions from different points of view. Join the first online meeting on September 4th. Dr. Marc Tambini will discuss "ADRD R01 Grant Feedback: The Role of APP-metabolites on Extracellular Vesicle Cargo and Function." | |
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The 2024 Rutgers Addiction Research Center (RARC) at the BHI Fall Symposium is a one-day event showcasing the breadth of addiction research and clinical services across Rutgers. This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about new and ongoing research and to connect with colleagues. The symposium is being held in the Busch Student Center in Piscataway. The event will conclude with a poster session with awards and a reception. | |
RUCARES & NJACE Annual Conference | |
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Join us for the First Annual Conference hosted by the New Jersey Autism Center of Excellence (NJACE) and the Rutgers Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (RUCARES) at BHI. This one-day conference aims to bring together leading local and national researchers and physicians in the field of autism and related areas. The conferences’ agenda will include a variety of presentations, panel discussions, and workshops on timely and engaging topics in autism that capture the diverse interests and expertise of the attendees and broader research and practice communities. Dr. Matthew Siegel and Dr. Zheng Wang will be the keynote speakers. The conference is being held in the Douglass Student Center in New Brunswick. | |
EBPS Conference - SUD Therapeutics | |
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The European Behavioral Pharmacology Society (EBPS) conference will be hosted in Banff, Canada. The main theme is novel pharmacotherapies for SUDs and related mental health disorders. Talks will include basic and clinical research exploring novel pharmacology-based interventions, including cannabinoids, psychedelics, ketamine, and more. The trainee travel awards are due July 5th, and early bird registration is through July 12th. | |
BHI 2024 Plenary Seminar Series | |
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Per Svenningsson, MD, PhD
Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Hosted by BHI Neurodegeneration & Injury FAWG
| Dr. Per Svenningsson is a Senior Consultant and Professor of Neurology in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at the Karolinska University Hospital and the Karolinska Institute and a part-time Professor of Neurodegenerative Disorders at the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, King’s College London, UK. His areas of expertise include movement disorders and neuropharmacology. His lab studies receptor-mediated mechanisms for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders. | |
The Tenth Annual Brain Health Institute Symposium | |
Thursday - Friday, November 14-15 | |
Save the date for the Tenth Annual BHI Symposium. The two-day symposium celebrating the 10-year anniversary of BHI will feature talks by Rutgers faculty and trainees, a keynote speech by Dr. John Morrison from UC Davis, and poster presentations by students and postdocs. More information about the symposium will be available soon. | |
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! | | | | |