The 2024 BHI Symposium marked the 10th anniversary of the Rutgers Brain Health Institute, a milestone for celebrating a decade of innovation, collaboration, and groundbreaking advancements in neuroscience. Held on November 14–15 at the Douglass Student Center, the two-day event brought together more than 300 academic leaders, researchers, trainees, and industry professionals.

The symposium kicked off with an introduction by Chancellor Brian Strom of Rutgers Health and featured presentations by BHI Center Directors, new Rutgers neuroscience faculty, and outstanding postdocs. Day two included a captivating and informative keynote address from Dr. John H. Morrison of UC Davis.

We are excited to share the launch of our all-new Rutgers Brain Health Institute website! With a fresh design and user-friendly features, the site showcases BHI’s leadership in neuroscience and brain health research, collaboration, and education. Explore news, events, faculty achievements, and trainee opportunities, all in one place. Please take a moment to visit our new website and discover everything we have to offer. We value your input—please complete this survey to share your feedback and help us continue improving your experience!

Drs. Miriam Bocarsly and Linden Parkes, Chair and Vice-Chair of the Junior Faculty Working Group (JFWG) at the BHI, introduce the mission and goals of the group. The JFWG brings together a diverse community of junior faculty at Rutgers, fostering collaboration and mutual support as they navigate the challenges of running research labs, mentoring trainees, securing grants, and teaching. Watch the video to learn more!

Dr. Avram Holmes, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at RWJMS and Core Faculty Member of BHI and the Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR), published a new paper entitled “The cell-type underpinnings of the human functional cortical connectome” in Nature Neuroscience. The study reveals how different brain cell types collaborate to form large-scale functional networks in the human brain—systems that underpin sensory processing, decision-making, and more. By uncovering these cellular foundations, the research offers critical insights into cognition and mental health.

BHI core faculty members Drs. Michal Schnaider Beeri, David Zald, and Andrew Westbrook have shared insights on a recent study investigating transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a potential treatment to slow cognitive decline in Alzheimer's Disease. The study focuses on targeting a key brain network involved in memory, which is typically impacted early in the disease. Read the full commentary.

Dr. Michal Schnaider Beeri, Director of the Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at BHI, shared insights in a Medscape article titled “Integrated Neuro, Primary Care Reduces Rates of Potentially Dangerous Rx Among Dementia Patients.” The article highlights a poster presented at the Gerontological Society of America 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting in Seattle, which examines the benefits of merging primary care with dementia care. Research from the Integrated Memory Care Center (IMCC) at Emory University found that patients seen in their clinic had higher rates of deprescribing potentially harmful medications compared to those receiving care at standalone cognitive neurology or primary care clinics. Dr. Beeri noted, "IMCC is a promising model with the potential to significantly improve outcomes and quality of life for both patients and their caregivers. However, widespread adoption would require changes in insurance coverage and healthcare delivery systems.”

Francesca LoFaro, a PhD candidate in BHI core faculty Dr. Anna Konova’s lab, has received a three-year F31 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for the project “Elucidating How Menstrual Cycle Phase Influences Neurocognitive Processes Underlying Risk-Taking in Women with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)”. The research aims to address the underrepresentation of women in neuroimaging studies of OUD. By investigating how menstrual cycle phases and hormone fluctuations affect risk-taking and relapse vulnerability, the research seeks to uncover hormonal and neural mechanisms underlying sex differences in OUD clinical outcomes.

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.

Learn more about the new NIH-funded undergraduate research training program, “Training in Research Undergraduate Experience through the Rutgers Addiction Research Center at the BHI, the “TRUE RARC” Scholar Program. Our goal is to onboard students into promising career pathways in behavioral data science in addiction and related research, and our program is geared to supporting students through graduate school matriculation. Please reach out to true-scholar@rutgers.edu if you have any questions. 

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.

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 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.

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

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.