Thank you for your generosity during the 2025 Rutgers Giving Days on March 12-13! Your donations are essential in helping BHI and its Centers advance neuroscience research by integrating cutting-edge basic and clinical studies, fostering educational programs, strengthening collaborations, and enhancing infrastructure for brain research. Learn more about the impact of your support through the stories of Aysegul, Kay, and Jacob: | The transition from postdoctoral researcher to independent faculty is challenging, but mentorship and support make a difference. Dr. Aysegul Gungor Aydin shares how her experience at BHI, including leadership in the Postdoctoral Alliance Working Group (PAWG), helped her develop the skills, confidence, and connections needed to take the next step in her career. Watch her story to see how BHI fosters the next generation of neuroscience leaders. | Kay Hwang, a high school student and founder of the Techtrum Alliance—a nonprofit dedicated to providing technology for individuals with autism—has raised over $5,000 to donate 30+ iPads for autism education. During her internship at RUCARES, Kay has seen firsthand how iPads enhance communication, foster technical skills, and contribute to autism research. By supporting BHI, you help drive autism research, expand access to critical resources, and empower future discoveries. | Music has the power to heal, connect, and inspire. For Jacob Chang, it was a way to bond with his grandmother as she battled Alzheimer’s. Now, through his nonprofit initiative, Music of the Heart, Jacob is supporting Alzheimer’s research at BHI, bringing hope to families facing similar challenges. Watch Jacob’s story to see how young leaders are making a difference in the future of neuroscience. |
| The Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR) and the Rutgers-Princeton Center for Computational Cognitive Neuro-Psychiatry (CCNP) at the BHI hosted their first open house on March 13, 2025. CAHBIR is committed to advancing high-quality human neuroscience research through state-of-the-art neuroimaging techniques. CCNP, a unique collaboration between Rutgers and Princeton, is one of the first centers dedicated to computational psychiatry. Attendees explored cutting-edge brain research and learned how their support can contribute to the fight against neurological and psychiatric disorders. |
| The 2nd Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center Symposium | The Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at the BHI hosted its 2025 Symposium on March 19. Led by Dr. Michal Schnaider Beeri, the center focuses on advancing research to delay, prevent, and treat Alzheimer’s and related neurodegenerative diseases through innovative studies and clinical collaborations. The day-long symposium featured talks by Rutgers faculty and trainees engaged in Alzheimer’s disease research and welcomed over 100 attendees. The keynote speaker was Dr. Alison Goate, the Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor of Genomics, Chair of the Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, and Professor of Neuroscience and Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The symposium awarded Dr. Ryan Dougherty, Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Rutgers New Brunswick, with the Best Paper Prize, and Mary Alice Butera, from the Christoph Buettner lab (Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Nutrition), with the Best Poster Prize. |
| The Postdoctoral Alliance Working Group (PAWG) at the BHI held the first Trainee Retreat on March 5. BHI trainees gathered for a full day of networking, professional development, and career growth at the PAWG Trainee Retreat. The event included a grant writing workshop with tip/tricks, grant writing Panel with Study Section Experts, transition to the next steps in academia & industry, and “How to Manage in the lab” workshop. The lineup of speakers features experts from industry, academia, and even the business department. |
| 2025 Newark New Jersey Regional Brain Bee | The 17th Annual Rutgers University Newark New Jersey Regional Brain Bee, sponsored by the Brain Health Institute, took place on March 16. Seventy three students from 40 NJ high schools were tested on their knowledge of brain anatomy, neurophysiology, brain circuits underlying learning and memory, sleep, vision, audition and movement as well as causes of major neurological and psychiatric disorders. |
| 2025 BHI Postdoc Recruitment Event on April 22-23 | | The 2025 BHI Postdoc Recruitment Event will be held on April 22-23, offering highly qualified graduate students and postdoctoral fellows a two-day, all-expenses-paid visit to Rutgers University. This event provides an opportunity to explore postdoctoral positions in neuroscience and brain health research at BHI. From a pool of over 100 applicants, 20 highly qualified trainees from North American institutions have been invited to visit the Rutgers campus to meet faculty and trainees. Invited candidates will present platform talks, network with faculty and current trainees, visit labs, and tour the Rutgers campuses in New Brunswick, Piscataway, and Newark. |
| Newly Launched Center for NeuroMetabolism Led by Dr. Zhiping Pang | | | | Rutgers Health has launched the Center for NeuroMetabolism, led by Dr. Zhiping Pang, BHI Core member and Henry Rutgers Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology. The center aims to explore the complex interactions between brain function, metabolism, and behavior to address health challenges such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity, eating disorders, and other gastrointestinal, vascular, and inflammatory disorders. The center will foster interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together experts in neuroscience, endocrinology, genetics, behavioral science, nutrition, pharmacology, neuroimaging, and clinical research from across Rutgers and the BHI to advance research and treatment of disorders related to neurometabolism. |
| Dr. Steven Levison Awarded NIMH R03 Grant to Study the Impact of Interleukin-6 on Synaptic Development | | | | Dr. Steven Levison, Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience at NJMS and Vice-Chair of BHI Neurodegeneration and Injury FAWG, has been awarded an R03 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health for his project, "Interleukin-6 Induced Synaptic Dysgenesis in Wild-Type vs. Shank3 Mice." The study aims to explore how elevated levels of the immune signaling molecule IL-6 affect synaptic development, particularly in the context of genetic risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders. The findings will provide new insights into the role of inflammation in autism spectrum disorder and other neurological conditions. | | Dr. Michal Schnaider Beeri Awarded NIA R01 Grant to Study Glycoproteome in Alzheimer’s Disease | | | | Dr. Michal Schnaider Beeri, Director of the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at the BHI, has received a five-year R01 grant from the National Institute on Aging for the project “Decoding the role of the glycoproteome in Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.” | | Dr. Sharon Sanz Simon Awarded NIA R00 Grant for Web-Based Cognitive Training in Aging | | | | Dr. Sharon Sanz Simon, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at NJMS, BHI Core member, and KKARC Member, has received an NIA R00 grant to develop a web-based cognitive training program for older adults. The project uses Emphasis Change (EmCh) training within the Breakfast Game (B-Game) platform to enhance Executive Control (EC)—a key function for multitasking that declines with age. By integrating remote technology and Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers, the research aims to improve cognitive aging interventions and support dementia prevention. | | BHI Postdoctoral Alliance Working Group (PAWG) Trainee Information Collection Form | | 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. | | BHI Announcements & Opportunities | | 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. |
| 2025 NJACE Requests for Applications (RFAs) | | The New Jersey Autism Center for Excellence (NJACE) is excited to announce the 2025 RFAs for a Plus-1 Grant, Post-Doctoral Fellowship, and Seed Grant. The goals of the NJACE are to improve health outcomes of New Jersey residents at all life stages with a focus on community-oriented research and training tailored to the autism community and their needs. View the corresponding RFAs containing important dates and directions for submission. | | 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. | | 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. | | 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. | | 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. |
| Open Rank Associate Professor/Professor in Data Science | | 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. | | Geriatric Psychiatrist or Geriatric Neurologist Faculty | | 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. | | Human Neuroimaging Faculty Position in Alzheimer’s Disease | | 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. | | Assistant Professor in Behavioral & Systems Neuroscience, Tenure-Track | | 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. | | 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. | | Human Neuroimaging Faculty Positions | | 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) | | | | |
The Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center in the BHI is organizing a series of translational work-in-progress talks every month. The goal is to alternate between clinical and basic presentations to open new opportunities for translational research and discussions from different points of view.
Dr. Travis Lear will present "Proteolytic Regulation of Auto-Lysosomal Activity as an intervention against protein aggregation? A potential grant application". Dr. Lear will discuss his aims page and intended methodology for a potential grant application investigating auto-lysosomal regulation and neurodegeneration.
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| Rutgers Network Neuroscience Interest Group Meeting | | | | The Rutgers Network Neuroscience Interest Group brings together researchers interested in understanding the organization of brain structure and function through the lens of network science. Sponsored by CAHBIR and the BHI Cognitive and Sensory Neuroscience Focus Area Working Group, the interest group brings together researchers interested in exploring brain structure and function through network science. It’s a great opportunity to exchange ideas, collaborate, and discuss potential training grant opportunities in network neuroscience. Dr. Mika Rubinov from Vanderbilt University will discuss “Analytical Unifications in Network Neuroscience”. |
| 2025 BHI Postdoc Recruitment Event | | | | The 2025 BHI Postdoc Recruitment Event will be held on April 22-23, offering highly qualified graduate students and postdoctoral fellows a two-day, all-expenses-paid visit to Rutgers University. This event provides an opportunity to explore postdoctoral positions in neuroscience and brain health research at BHI. From a pool of over 100 applicants, 20 highly qualified trainees from North American institutions have been invited to visit the Rutgers campus to meet faculty and trainees. Invited candidates will present platform talks, network with faculty and current trainees, visit labs, and tour the Rutgers campuses in New Brunswick, Piscataway, and Newark. | | Human Neuroscience Trainee Seminar Series | | | | The BHI and CAHBIR are hosting a seminar series on the last Monday of each month. This series features presentations by graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, providing a platform to share their research with the broader Rutgers neuroscience community. It is open to all trainees conducting human neuroscience research in BHI laboratories. Trainees may present experimental plans, pilot data, or complete research. Talks can also be used to prepare for conferences, job talks, or other professional presentations. Please contact Noelle Stiles (ns1608@rutgers.edu) with any questions. Gina Roslan, Graduate Student. PI: Joshua Miller. Talk title: “Early Modifiable Biomarkers of Age-Related Cognitive Decline” |
| 2025 BHI Plenary Seminar Series | | | | Hosted by Neurodegeneration & Injury FAWG | Dr. Scott Brady is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Illinois. Dr. Brady will discuss “Exposing Mechanisms in Adult-Onset Neurodegeneration”. Dr. Brady's research focuses on molecular motors, axonal transport and the neuronal cytoskeleton, Neuronal signaling pathways, Effects of myelin on neurons and pathogenic mechanisms in adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's and Huntington's as well as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and diabetic neuropathy. |
| | | Hosted by Motivational and Affective Neuroscience FAWG | Dr. Abraham Palmer, Professor and Vice Chair for Basic Research, Department of Psychiatry, UC San Diego. Dr. Palmer will present “The Genetic Basis of Substance Use Disorders: What We've Learned from Humans and Rats?” Dr. Palmer's research focuses on identifying genes that influence behaviors related to addiction and other psychiatric disorders, utilizing both human studies and animal models to gain insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these conditions. |
| | | Hosted by Cognitive & Sensory Neuroscience FAWG | Dr. Geoffrey Schoenbaum is a Distinguished Investigator, Chief of the Cellular and Neurocomputational Systems Branch, and Chief of the Behavioral Neurophysiology Neuroscience Section at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Dr. Schoenbaum’s lab focuses on the neural circuits that mediate associative learning and decision-making and examines how changes in these circuits contribute to maladaptive behaviors in neuropsychiatric disorders, such as addiction. |
| | | Hosted by the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center in BHI | Dr. David Weinshenker is a Professor in the Department of Human Genetics at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Weinshenker's approach is to use a combination of genetics, behavior, pharmacology, neurochemistry, optogenetics, and chemogenetics in rodents to better understand the neurobiology underlying normal brain function as well as neurological and neuropsychiatric disease. |
| | | Dr. Michael Beauchamp is a Professor of Neurosurgery and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Dr. Beauchamp’s lab focuses on the superior temporal sulcus, a brain area critical for the integration of auditory and visual information and for the perception of complex visual motion, such as mouth movements. |
| 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! | | | | |
