Rutgers Women’s Brain Health Initiative (RWBHI)

Stay Sharp After Menopause: Toolkit for Boosting Your Brain’s Executive Functions with Aerobic Exercise

As part of the RWBHI goal to translate research findings, BHI provides a toolkit that turns recent research findings published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease by Dr. Sharon Sanz Simon, Assistant Professor of psychiatry at NJMS and a core faculty member of the Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center (KKARC) within the BHI, into clear, usable steps you can take. Regular aerobic exercise (the kind that gets your heart pumping) can improve important thinking skills called executive functions — and the benefits appear especially strong for women after menopause. Executive functions help you plan, switch between tasks, stay focused, and maintain independence. These skills often feel harder during and after the menopause transition. The good news: a structured aerobic exercise program may help protect and even improve them. Learn more

RWBHI Plenary Seminar Will Feature Dr. Jennifer Stevens on September 29 

The first RWBHI Plenary seminar will be given by Dr. Jennifer Stevens, Co‑Director of the Grady Trauma Project, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine, and Investigator at the Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Health Care System, to deliver a virtual talk on September 29 at 12 PM. She will give a virtual talk on September 29 entitled "Neuroendocrine contributors to traumatic stress: Understanding women’s risk". Learn more

Dr. Stevens’ research focuses on how early factors, such as childhood trauma and genetics, influence stress vulnerability, particularly among women. Her earlier work from the Grady Trauma Project identified a polymorphism in the PACAP receptor gene that contributes to risk for PTSD among women but not men. Further developments in this line of research provide one of the best-studied biological explanations for the gender disparity in PTSD diagnosis. Her lab recently observed that childhood trauma predicts decreased behavioral-inhibition-related mPFC and hippocampal function in women with PTSD but does not impact function in resilient women who experienced trauma but do not have PTSD. The lab’s latest studies address 1) associations between menstrual cycle hormones and brain-based signatures of stress vulnerability in young women, 2) longitudinal changes in neural structure and function over perimenopause, and 3) maternal responses to infant cues in the early postpartum window. 

Rutgers Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research Workshop

The Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR) within the BHI will host a three‑day in‑person training workshop on using MRI methods for human imaging. This 9‑hour workshop, spread over three days (September 29, September 30, and October 6), will take place at RWJMS Research Tower, Room V10 and CABM Seminar Room 010. It is designed for faculty, students, and staff who will be involved in human MRI research. The workshop provides an introduction to MRI methods, MRI safety, study design and analysis. It also covers pragmatic issues related to scanning at CAHBIR. The in-person workshop is also open to individuals not affiliated with Rutgers. Seating is limited. Register by September 15.

Fall 2026 Rutgers Brain Health Institute

Trainee Travel Awards

The Rutgers Brain Health Institute (BHI) is pleased to announce the Fall 2026 trainee travel award for Rutgers PhD and MD/PhD students and postdocs from labs engaged in neuroscience and mental health research. 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 Dec 31, 2026). Submit all materials by September 15, 2026, to bhi@bhi.rutgers.edu.

Learn more

Announcing the 2026 Rutgers Brain Health Institute

Research & Service Awards

Five annual Rutgers Brain Health Institute (BHI) awards recognize the outstanding research and service contributions of Rutgers faculty and staff. All current BHI-affiliated Rutgers faculty who conduct neuroscience- or brain health-related research, and their staff, are eligible for nomination by their faculty colleagues under one of the nomination categories. Faculty, please nominate your faculty and staff colleagues by November 1, 2026. Each awardee will be recognized with a plaque and a monetary award at a ceremony to be held in December. Learn more

BHI Spotlight

Dr. Anna Konova Receives NIDA R01 Grant to Map Sex Hormone Modulation of Reward Value Computations in Opioid Addiction

Dr. Anna Konova, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Co-Director of the Rutgers-Princeton Center for Computational Cognitive Neuro-Psychiatry (CCNP) in the BHI, has received an R01 award from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for the project “High-precision mapping of sex hormone modulation of reward value computations in opioid addiction.” The opioid epidemic is a major public health crisis, with women experiencing faster progression to addiction and differential outcomes associated with gold-standard treatments for opioid use disorder. Combining dense longitudinal brain imaging with smartphone-delivered cognitive tasks, this project will examine how ovarian hormone fluctuations shape reward valuation and dopamine-mediated learning processes that may contribute to opioid relapse risk and resilience in women. Findings will identify biological targets to advance individualized adjunctive treatments for women receiving medications for opioid use disorder. Learn more

Drs. Mi-Hyeon Jang and Detlev Boison Awarded NINDS R01 Grant to Study Astrocyte Based Mechanisms of Organophosphate Poisoning

Dr. Mi-Hyeon Jang, Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at RWJMS and a core faculty member of the BHI, and Dr. Detlev Boison, Professor and Vice Chair of Research and Training in the Department of Neurosurgery at RWJMS, a core faculty member of the BHI, and Chair of Neurodegeneration and Injury FAWG in the BHI, have been awarded an R01 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for the project “Astrocyte‑based mechanisms of organophosphate poisoning.” Organophosphates (OPs) are highly toxic nerve agents posing a significant global health threat, and there is currently no effective countermeasure, largely due to a lack of mechanistic understanding of organophosphate-induced brain injury, especially the role of astrocytes. Using mouse organophosphate exposure models, the study will test the hypothesis that astrocyte activation via adenosine A2A receptors drives organophosphate‑induced brain injury, employing EEG recordings, genetic mouse lines, pharmacological tools, biosensor monitoring, and behavioral assays. Learn more

Drs. Mauricio Delgado, Karen Smith and Samantha Heintzelman Receive NIMH R21 Grant to Identify Social Media Behaviors That Foster Social Connections and Mitigate Distress in Early Adolescence

Dr. Mauricio Delgado, Professor of Psychology at Rutgers-Newark School of Arts and Sciences, together with Drs. Karen Smith and Samantha Heintzelman, Assistant Professors of Psychology, have been awarded an R21 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health for the project “Identifying social media behaviors that generate social connections and mitigate distress in early adolescence.” Early adolescence is a critical developmental period with elevated mental health vulnerability. While most research highlights social media’s harms, less is understood about its capacity to support peer connection and resilience among 12 14 year olds. This multimodal study uses physiological tools, ecological momentary assessment, and community based participatory research, pairing lab experiments and real world data to evaluate adaptive social media behaviors that lower distress. Learn more

Dr. Chris Pierce Publishes Preclinical Study in Neuropharmacology Exploring How Fear Memories Shape Cocaine Use

Dr. Chris Pierce, Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and core member of the Rutgers Addiction Research Center (RARC) and the BHI, has published new research in Neuropharmacology investigating the biological link between fear memory and cocaine‑taking behaviors. Pathological fear from traumatic experiences contributes to PTSD and substance use disorders, which frequently co‑occur and worsen clinical outcomes, yet the neuronal mechanisms behind fear memory interactions with drug‑seeking behaviors remain poorly understood. The study shows prior cued fear conditioning increased cocaine intake and cue‑induced cocaine‑seeking in male, but not female, rats, with distinct neuronal activity patterns in the basolateral amygdala. Learn more

Dr. Anna Konova’s Study Published in Neuropsychopharmacology Examining How Hormones May Influence Addiction in Women

Led by Dr. Anna Konova, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Co-Director of the Rutgers-Princeton Center for Computational Cognitive Neuro-Psychiatry (CCNP) in the BHI, and PhD student Francesca M. LoFaro, the study, “A cognitive computational framework for ovarian hormone modulation of addiction,” examines how natural rises and falls in hormones like estradiol and progesterone act as time-varying signals that influence dopamine signaling, reward sensitivity, craving, and opioid reuse risk in naturally cycling women receiving medications for opioid use disorder. The study combines regular hormone measurements (estradiol, progesterone, and cortisol), daily smartphone-based experience sampling of real-life cravings and behaviors, and dense-sampling (“precision”) fMRI brain imaging with a computational task that measures dopamine-mediated decision-making behaviors. Learn more. Read the Rutgers Women's Brain Health Initiative feature about the study.

Dr. Nina Cooperman Publishes Study Exploring Love, Empathy, and Recovery in Opioid Use Disorder

Dr. Nina Cooperman, Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and member of the RARC and the BHI, has published new research in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs exploring prosocial emotions within opioid use disorder (OUD) recovery. The study examines whether the capacity to experience love and empathy is associated with opioid use among people receiving methadone treatment for OUD. Participants who reported greater capacity for empathy and a greater tendency to experience love also reported fewer episodes of opioid use, even after accounting for factors such as anxiety, depression, pain, social support, and stigma. The findings do not establish cause and effect but suggest that the quality of social and emotional connection may be an important area for future recovery research. Learn more

Dr. Tibor Rohacs Publishes Review Examining Regulation of Mechanically Activated Somatosensory Ion Channels

Dr. Tibor Rohacs, Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience at NJMS and a faculty member of the BHI, has published the review “Regulation of somatosensory ion channels activated by mechanical stimuli” in Biological Physics and Mechanics. The review notes PIEZO2 is essential for light touch and proprioception in somatosensory neurons, and explores how membrane lipids, signaling pathways, interacting proteins and the cytoskeleton regulate PIEZO2 and its homolog PIEZO1. It addresses that the molecular identity of other excitatory mechanically‑activated cation channels remains not yet firmly established and covers candidate channel proteins. The review also discusses TREK‑subfamily two‑pore‑domain potassium (K2P) channels that modulate sensory neuron excitability and highlights key outstanding questions in mechanosensation research. Learn more

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!!

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

Banner Ad and Sponsorship Opportunities at BHI

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 averaging over 35,000 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

NEW!! We are looking for sponsors to support BHI events. Faculty, Staff and Trainees, please let us know about vendors you all work with who might be interested in sponsoring BHI events. Please reach out to kuzhikev@bhi.rutgers.edu with names and contact information of vendors who might be interested in partnering with BHI to sponsor neuroscience and brain health events at Rutgers.

BHI Feedback Hub

BHI Announcements & Opportunities

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

South Asian Memory, Aging, and Risk Tracking for Brain Health study (SAMARTH)

The study aims to understand the characteristics that may place South Asian populations at heightened risk for Alzheimer's disease. The study seeks to recruit individuals with ethnic or racial backgrounds from the South Asian subcontinents, aged 45-70, who have a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias (one or more parents with Alzheimer’s Disease, high blood pressure, BMI >30, or Type II diabetes/pre-diabetes). Learn more

Multitasking Strategy Study (MUST Study): Neuroscience and Aging Study

The Rutgers Krieger Klein Alzheimer's Research Center and EngAGING Lab are recruiting older adults (60–75) for the MUST Study, a non-pharmacological research trial focused on cognitive training to support attention control and multitasking. Overall eligibility: ages 60–75, overall good health/cognitively healthy, English-speaking, and able to use a computer and the internet. Participation includes home-based online sessions (brain health education and cognitive training) and 3 in-person assessments over approximately 5–6 months. Participants may receive up to $275. Learn more

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

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

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

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.

Save the Date

September 2

12 PM

Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Translational Work-in-Progress Series (ADRD-TWIP)

The Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center (KKARC) in the BHI is organizing a series of translational work-in-progress talks, alternating between clinical and basic presentations to open new opportunities for translational research and discussions from different perspectives. Dr. Edmarie Guzmán-Vélez, will present “The Social Exposome as a Contributor to Biological Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Risk”. Learn more

September 15

Brink of Pink Symposium

This year’s theme is Brain Health, Burnout, and Cognitive Resilience in the Workplace, featuring four 25-minute student-led panels: Brain Health in Women – Hormones, stress, and cognitive load across a woman’s life and career; Brain Health in Men – Stigma, emotional suppression, and stress’s impact on mental health; The Aging Workforce – Cognitive longevity, neuroplasticity, and workplace support strategies; and Clinicians, Caregivers & First Responders – Burnout, compassion fatigue, and mental resilience. The symposium is seeking research staff and APPs who are passionate about brain health and interested in speaking as panelists. Learn more

September 16

5th Annual RARC Symposium

Please join us for the 5th Annual RARC Fall Symposium at the Rutgers Busch Student Center. This year’s symposium will feature keynote speaker Dr. Yasmin Hurd, Director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai. Join fellow researchers, clinicians, trainees, and community partners as we celebrate five years of RARC and explore how addiction research at Rutgers is advancing toward real-world impact. Register and view the full symposium details.

September 24

2026 NJACE and RUCARES Conference

Register for the New Jersey Autism Center of Excellence (NJACE) and the Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (RUCARES) in the BHI annual conference. Keynote speakers are Dr. Brian Boyd, William C. Friday Distinguished Professor in Education, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Director, Frank Porter Graham (FPG) Child Development Institute, and Dr. Xinyu Zhao, Professor, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Register by September 10.

September 24

2nd Annual International Brain & Spine Tumor Symposium

Save the date for the 2nd Annual International Brain & Spine Tumor Symposium to learn from national and international experts at NJ’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Medical students, residents, fellows, graduate students, and other trainees are welcome to submit abstracts. Learn more

September 24

Ira B. Black Memorial Lecture

This year’s lecture will feature Michelle Monje Deisseroth, MD, PhD, Milan Gambhir Professor of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology and Chambers-Okamura Endowed Director for Pediatric Neuro-Immuno-Oncology at Stanford University and Investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Monje Deisseroth will be presenting on “Neuron-glial interactions in health and disease: from cognition to cancer.”

September 29

12 PM

Rutgers Women’s Brain Health Initiative Plenary Seminar 

Dr. Jennifer Stevens, Co‑Director of the Grady Trauma Project, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine, and Investigator at the Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitation, Atlanta VA Health Care System, will present "Neuroendocrine contributors to traumatic stress: Understanding women’s risk". Learn more

September 29, September 30, October 6

Rutgers Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research Workshop

The Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR) within the BHI will host a three‑day in‑person training workshop on using MRI methods for human imaging. This 9‑hour workshop, spread over three days, will take place at RWJMS Research Tower, Room V10 and CABM Seminar Room 010. It is designed for faculty, students, and staff who will be involved in human MRI research. The workshop provides an introduction to MRI methods, MRI safety, and study design and analysis, and also covers pragmatic issues related to scanning at CAHBIR. The workshop is also open to individuals not affiliated with Rutgers. Seating is limited. Register by September 15.

December 2

12th Annual Rutgers Brain Health Institute Symposium

Save the date for the 12th Annual Rutgers Brain Health Institute Symposium. This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Joseph E LeDoux, Professor Emeritus at New York University, where he was a University Professor, Henry and Lucy Moses Professor, Professor of Neural Science and Psychology, and Professor of Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical School.

Please visit the BHI Event Calendar page to view other upcoming neuroscience and brain health research events. Learn more



If you want to share any events in future monthly newsletters, please send them to Lily Zhang (lily.zhangty@rutgers.edu) or use this Microsoft form to submit your events.

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!

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