Dr. Michal Schnaider Beeri, Director of the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at the Brain Health Institute (BHI), introduces New Jersey's first Alzheimer’s research center. The center spearheads clinical research on Alzheimer’s disease (AD), aiming to develop groundbreaking medical treatments. Dr. Beeri invites passionate neuroscientists, students, families, and patients to participate in the research, working together to eradicate AD. The upcoming website will provide detailed information on the center’s scientific approach, ongoing projects, and more.

Mr. Klein donated $7.25M to Rutgers Brain Health Institute to help develop the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center, establish two Endowed Chairs in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and neurodegeneration research held by Dr. Michal Beeri (BHI/RWJMS) and Dr. Luciano D’Adamio (BHI/NJMS), and support the recruitment of Dr. Hyung Jin Ahn (BHI/NJMS). Mr. Klein, a Rutgers alumnus and former U.S. congressman, made the gifts in memory of his wife, Jacqueline Krieger Klein, who died in 2017 after battling AD. The generous donation has transformative implications for our ability to find a cure for AD and brings Rutgers to the forefront of AD research.

Herbert and Jacqueline Klein Endowed Chair in Alzheimer's Disease and Neurodegeneration Research

Associate Director of BHI for Alzheimer’s Disease and Neurodegeneration Research

Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School (NJMS)

Dr. D’Adamio’s lab uses genetic approaches to dissect the mechanisms of age-related neurodegeneration occurring in Alzheimer's disease (AD), Familial British dementia, and Danish dementia. Dr. D’Adamio spearheads basic and translational research into AD and neurodegeneration at Rutgers.

Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, NJMS

BHI Core Faculty Member



Dr. Ahn's laboratory is interested in the crosstalk between the cerebrovascular system and the nervous system in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To identify the molecular mechanisms underlying cerebrovascular deficits in AD, Dr. Ahn's lab is investigating cerebrovascular dysfunction and blood-brain barrier damage in rodent AD models and postmortem specimens of AD patients.

Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, NJMS

BHI Core Faculty Member

Dr. Tambini's lab studies molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease (AD), including the role of extracellular vesicles and endo/lysosomal dysfunction. Studies include the use of novel rat knock-in models of AD-causing genes, as well as cellular and biochemical approaches.

Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, NJMS

BHI Core Faculty Member

Dr. Xu’s lab studies mechanisms by which genetics, environmental, and lifestyle factors affect the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Specific research interests include the role of RNA modification in alcohol-induced AD and the role of mitochondrial phosphodiesterases in AD and related dementias. Her current work is involved in deciphering whether neuropathic pain and neurodegeneration share common pathological mechanisms. 

The BHI and its Working Groups are pleased to announce the winners of the 2023-2024 Fall Rutgers Brain Health Institute Trainee Travel Awards. The winners include graduate students and post-docs from across Rutgers. The $500 awards will help offset the cost of attending a national or international conference that will be held during the current fiscal year. Congratulations to Dana Clausen (NJMS), Bruno Carabelli (RWJMS), Shayna O’Connor (RWJMS/RU-NB), Ayma Malik (NJMS), Kirsten Peterson (RU-Newark/CMBN), Aysegul Gungor Aydin (RU-NB), Mikayla Voglewede (RWJMS), Alessandro Bortolami (RWJMS), Francesca LoFaro (RWJMS/UBHC), Tevin Rouse (RU-Newark/CMBN).

Congratulations to Dr. Michal Schnaider Beeri, director of Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at BHI, for co-authoring a study published in JAMA Network Open. The study explores ADHD’s link to dementia and if risks can be mitigated with ADHD treatment.

Congratulations to Dr. Anna Konova, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Co-Director of the Rutgers-Princeton Center for Computational and Cognitive Neuropsychiatry (CCNP) and Core Faculty Member at BHI, on publishing “Reduced neural encoding of utility prediction errors in cocaine addiction” in Neuron. The study provides strong evidence and could suggest new strategies for treating addiction in general and cocaine addiction in particular.

Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center

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.

Rutgers Addiction Research Center (RARC)

The BHI, RARC, and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Department of Emergency Medicine are recruiting a tenure-track faculty member at the Associate or Assistant Professor level with expertise in addiction, substance use, or overdose. We are particularly interested in candidates with research programs in opioid and/or alcohol addiction.

Rutgers Center for Autism Research, Education and Services (RUCARES)

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. 

Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR)

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. 

Rutgers Addiction Research Center (RARC)  

The RARC-BHI Pilot Grant Program aims to foster new addiction research and generate pilot data for new grant applications to external agency funding. Pilot grants will be awarded for a one-year period and are limited to no more than $30,000 direct costs. The pilot grant proposal submission deadline is November 20.

Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR)

BHI-CAHBIR Research Pilot Grants are now available for RU-NB faculty to facilitate scanning at the CAHBIR. Two types of grants are available: a $100k full research pilot and a $35k minigrant. The application deadline for both grants is November 1. 

 The Rutgers University Molecular Imaging Core (RUMIC), functioning under the Office for Research, is offering one-hour tours throughout the month of November 2023. The tour consists of a presentation, providing an overview of the use and capabilities of the Core, followed by a brief demo for each imaging system. Examples of image processing and data analysis will be presented and the application of imaging technology to research will be discussed. The RUMIC provides Rutgers researchers with non-invasive approaches to study various biological and disease models in small animals, biological specimens, ex vivo tissues, biomaterials, or physical objects. Please contact Derek Adler ([email protected]) to arrange a tour.

Dr. Josh Miller’s Lab is recruiting participants 60 years of age and older for a research study on identifying early biomarkers of age-related cognitive decline at Rutgers University. If you are interested in participating, you can complete the eligibility survey. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].