Rutgers Women’s Brain Health Initiative (RWBHI)

As part of the Rutgers Brain Health Institute’s RWBHI, we are excited to spotlight two BHI faculty members whose complementary research programs are advancing our understanding of pain and addiction, conditions that disproportionately affect women.

Understanding the Biology to Develop Novel Pain Therapeutics for Women

Dr. Jenny Wilkerson, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and BHI Core member, integrates behavioral neuroscience and pharmacological methods in her research to advance drug development for pathological pain and substance use disorders, focusing on biological differences between males and females. Learn more

How Hormones May Influence Addiction in Women

Dr. Anna Konova, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and co-Director of the Center for Computational Cognitive Neuropsychiatry within the BHI, leads the Addiction & Decision Neuroscience Laboratory. A cognitive neuroscientist by training, Dr. Konova has built a research program focused on the computational and neural basis of motivation, decision-making, and addiction. Her lab uses advanced neuroimaging, computational modeling, and real-world behavioral assessments to identify risk and resilience factors in addiction escalation, recovery, and treatment. Francesca LoFaro, a PhD student in Dr. Konova’s lab is leading a novel project studying addictive behaviors in women during the menstrual cycle. Learn more

The research in the Wilkerson’s and Konova's labs at Rutgers exemplifies the innovative, sex-specific research that the RWBHI aims to highlight. Through this spotlight series, the RWBHI seeks to raise public awareness and increase visibility of research advancing women’s brain health across the lifespan. Learn more

Conducting Industry-Sponsored CNS Clinical

Trials at Rutgers

The Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR) within the BHI hosted an event highlighting the resources available at Rutgers to conduct industry sponsored CNS clinical trials. The event held on June 11 was attended by more than 30 participants from leading pharma and biotech companies. The event highlighted advancing CNS research through academic–industry collaboration, showcasing Rutgers’ infrastructure for industry-sponsored CNS clinical trials, patient recruitment, regulatory support, advanced imaging at CAHBIR, and opportunities to connect with Rutgers and RWJBarnabas Health experts. Representatives from leading pharma companies, including Merck, Novartis, Sanofi, Eli Lilly and Company, Eisai US, GE HealthCare, Tris Pharma, Zena Therapeutics Inc., and C2N Diagnostics, joined the event to accelerate innovation in CNS therapeutics.

BHI Spotlight

Welcome Dr. Anne Fernandez

The Rutgers Addiction Research Center (RARC) within the BHI is excited to welcome Dr. Anne Fernandez. Dr. Fernandez will serve as Associate Director of Health Services and Policy in the RARC and Associate Professor with Tenure in the Department of Psychiatry at RWJMS. Dr. Fernandez is a licensed clinical psychologist and addiction researcher with specialty training in behavioral medicine. Her research focuses on improving the quality, accessibility, and reach of substance use disorder screening, intervention, and treatment across healthcare settings.

Dr. Ioana Carcea Promoted to Associate Professor

Congratulations to Dr. Ioana Carcea, a BHI core faculty member, on her promotion to tenured Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience at NJMS! Dr. Carcea’s lab uses systems neuroscience approaches to investigate the relationship between social behavior, health, and physiology. Her research focuses on how biological states influence social behaviors, including maternal behavior, and how social experiences, in turn, shape health and brain function. Learn more

Dr. Hyung Jin Ahn Promoted to Associate Professor

Congratulations to Dr. Hyung Jin Ahn, a BHI core faculty member, on his promotion to tenured Associate Professor of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience at NJMS! Dr. Ahn’s lab is interested in the crosstalk between the cerebrovascular system and the nervous system in Alzheimer's disease. Learn more

Dr. Jill Rabinowitz Promoted to Associate Professor

Congratulations to Dr. Jill Rabinowitz, a BHI core faculty member, on her promotion to tenured Associate Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS! Dr. Rabinowitz’s research is dedicated to addressing the full spectrum of substance use—from prevention to treatment optimization. Her goal is to understand how individual genetic profiles influence treatment outcomes and to identify the moment-to-moment predictors of substance use. Learn more

Dr. David Barker Promoted to Associate Professor

Congratulations to Dr. David Barker, a BHI core faculty member, on his promotion to tenured Associate Professor of Psychology at Rutgers-New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences! Dr. Barker applies cutting-edge technologies to interrogate neural circuits involved in psychiatric disorders. His research aims to understand maladaptive processes affecting the brains of individuals with drug addiction and comorbid disorders such as anxiety, depression, or chronic pain, to advance more effective treatment strategies. Learn more

Dr. Tejbeer Kaur Promoted to Associate Professor

Congratulations to Dr. Tejbeer Kaur, a BHI core faculty member, on her promotion to Associate Professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences at RWJMS. Dr. Kaur studies the complex biology and interactions of immune cells and their effector molecules with sensory cells in the inner ear cochlea, and how these interactions influence hearing, hearing loss, and sensory cell development, degeneration, repair, survival, and plasticity. Learn more

Dr. Todd Mowery Promoted to Associate Professor

Congratulations to Dr. Todd Mowery, a BHI core faculty member, on his promotion to Associate Professor in the Head and Neck Surgery & Communication Sciences at RWJMS. Dr. Mowery’s lab uses adeno-associated viruses to target different cell types in the peripheral and central nervous system. This allows us to deliver various proteins and enzymes to these cells. This targeted protein expression can deliver novel receptor complexes or selected proteins and enzymes that are missing or produced in low quantities. Learn more

Dr. Hai Sun Promoted to Professor

Congratulations to Dr. Hai Sun, Assistant Director of Research, Assistant Residency Program Director, Department of Neurosurgery, Vice Chair of Clinical Affairs in the Department of Neurosurgery, and Interim Chief of Service at RWJMS, on his promotion to Professor! Dr. Sun specializes in surgical treatments for patients with epilepsy, brain and pituitary tumors, cerebrovascular abnormalities such as aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations, and ischemic stroke. Learn more

Dr. Jessica Salvatore Promoted to Professor

Congratulations to Dr. Jessica Salvatore, Director of the Genes, Environments, and Neurodevelopment in Addictions (GENA) Program at RWJMS, on her promotion! Dr. Salvatore’s primary area of focus is on how substance misuse affects and is affected by social factors and close relationships across the lifespan. She takes a genetically informed perspective, with the dual goals of delineating gene-environment interplay among substance use and relationship factors and strengthening inferences in observational data. Learn more

Dr. Walter Zahorodny Promoted to Professor

Congratulations to Dr. Walter Zahorodny, Director, NJ Autism Study, on his promotion to Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at NJMS! Dr. Zahorodny provides comprehensive developmental, psychological, and neuropsychological assessments of children and adolescents, as well as individual psychotherapy to individuals and adolescents. Learn more

Dr. Sally Kuo Promoted to Associate Professor

Congratulations to Dr. Sally Kuo on her promotion to Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in the Genes, Environment, and Neurodevelopment in Addictions (GENA) research program. Dr. Kuo's research focuses on the interplay between genetic and environmental factors across the lifespan in the development of alcohol and other substance use and related problems. Learn more

Dr. Jeffrey Luci Shares Commentary on Predicting Alzheimer’s Progression from a Single Brain Scan: A New Milestone in AI-driven Diagnosis and Prognosis

A study published in Nature Aging reports a promising advance in Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis: an AI method that can predict not just whether someone has Alzheimer’s, but how their thinking and memory are likely to change over the next few years — all from one standard MRI brain scan and basic demographic information. Dr. Jeffrey Luci, Research Assistant Professor and Technical Director of the Center for Advanced Human Brain Imaging Research (CAHBIR) within the BHI, shared commentary that “The speed at which biomedical imaging methods are developed, while impressive using only legacy techniques, has rapidly accelerated with the addition of AI assistance. This work by colleagues at UCSF demonstrates one reason for that.” Learn more

Dr. Brian Greer Earns Multiple Professional Honors and Leadership Roles

Dr. Brian Greer, interim director of the Rutgers University Center for Autism Research, Education, and Services (RUCARES) and Director of CSH-RUCARES within the BHI and associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics at RWJMS and a BHI core member, was approved to join the Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (SEAB), the leading society overseeing the field’s flagship journals Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB) and Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), with his term beginning this September. In addition, he has been promoted to Editor for Translational Research at JEAB.

Dr. Greer was also selected to join the Legacy Leadership Initiative for the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP) and will travel to California this fall for the initiative’s kick-off event.

Dr. Danielle Dick Receives NIDA R41 Grant to Develop Personalized Substance Use Disorder Risk Program

Dr. Danielle Dick, Professor of Psychiatry in RWJMS, director of the RARC within the BHI, and BHI core member, has received a NIDA R41 Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I award in partnership with Thrive Genetics, Inc., to develop an interactive, web-based personalized feedback program for substance use disorder risk. The project, “The Development of a Personalized Feedback Program for Substance Use Disorder Risk,” will bring together Thrive Genetics, Inc., a company focused on reducing the burden of addiction through the provision of personalized risk information. The goal is to create a scalable prevention program that provides individuals with personalized risk information, followed by tailored, evidence-based recommendations and resources to help reduce risk. Learn more

Dr. Steven Malin Awarded NIDDK R01 Grant to Study Intranasal Insulin and Exercise Training for Brain Health in Type 2 Diabetes

Dr. Steven Malin, Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Rutgers-New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences, has received an R01 award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Collaborators from Rutgers on the project include Drs. Michal Schnaider Beeri, David Zald, Ankit Shah, and Haiqun Lin. The project examines the effects of intranasal insulin plus exercise training on brain blood flow, neuronal insulin signaling, and cognition in adults with type 2 diabetes. The study will investigate if intranasal insulin therapy adds to the effects of exercise training on insulin-stimulated brain vascular function and neuronal insulin signaling, as well as how brain insulin action relates to peripheral hemodynamics and glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetes for potential cognitive benefit. Learn more

Drs. Luciano D’Adamio and Vasileios Petrou Awarded Pilot Grant from the Kreiger Klein Alzheimer Research Center (KKARC) to Characterize Therapeutic Nanobodies for Alzheimer’s Disease

Dr. Luciano D’Adamio, Professor of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience at NJMS and BHI core member, and Dr. Vasileios Petrou have received a pilot grant from the KKARC in BHI for the project titled “Structural characterization of therapeutic nanobodies targeting Alzheimer's disease.” Alzheimer’s disease is driven by amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and microglial TNFα-mediated neuroinflammation that exacerbates disease pathology and cognitive deficits. The project will use single-particle cryo-electron microscopy to structurally characterize novel heterodimeric anti-TNFα nanobodies designed to cross the blood-brain barrier. This work will guide rational nanobody modification to enhance therapeutic function and reduce immunogenicity, supporting the development of new disease-modifying therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease. The pilot grant funding was made possible by a generous donation from the Remember Me, Inc, a foundation created by the Amello family.

Dr. Avram Holmes’ Study Published in Molecular Psychiatry Maps Widespread Synaptic Loss in Schizophrenia Linked to Brain Molecular and Network Architecture

A new study led by Dr. Avram Holmes, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and core faculty member of CAHBIR within the BHI, and by Dr. Sidhant Chopra, a former Dr. Holmes postdoctoral fellow, was published in Molecular Psychiatry. Using specialized PET imaging, the team found widespread, left-lateralized synaptic loss across key brain regions in individuals with schizophrenia and confirmed that this synaptic damage is distinct from standard MRI-detected grey matter shrinkage, representing two separate biological processes. Brain areas rich in serotonin, GABA, and glutamate receptors were most vulnerable to synaptic loss, and network simulations identified the left frontal operculum/anterior insula as the likely starting point where pathology spreads through connected brain networks. The findings demonstrate that synaptic loss in schizophrenia follows the brain’s molecular and network architecture, offering new clues to guide targeted intervention strategies. Learn more

Dr. Luciana Mascarenhas Fonseca’s Study Published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice Links Type 1 Diabetes Glycemia to Neurodegeneration Biomarker Changes

A new study published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, led by Dr. Luciana Mascarenhas Fonseca, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at RWJMS and BHI core member in the Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center (KKARC) within the BHI, analyzed GluCog Study data and confirmed that elevated levels of the neuronal injury biomarker NfL are closely associated with chronic hyperglycemia and type 1 diabetes complications, independent of Alzheimer’s-specific pathology. The findings highlight that optimal glycemic management supports long-term brain health, laying a critical foundation for future neurological risk assessment and targeted interventions for individuals living with type 1 diabetes. The study was led and drafted by Nikki Delgado under Dr. Fonseca’s mentorship at Washington State University. Learn more

Dr. Jack Tsao Launches Phase II Clinical Trial of Troculeucel for Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease

Dr. Jack Tsao, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology at NJMS and BHI core member, launched a Phase II clinical trial and is enrolling patients who have progressed while on lecanemab from mild to moderate stage disease. The dementia clinic established by KKARC at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School is participating in the nationwide study of Troculeucel (SNK01) for moderate-stage Alzheimer's disease. Troculeucel is an autologous natural killer cell therapy that involves removing a person's natural killer cells, amplifying their function to modulate immune system interactions in the brain, and then returning these cells to the body to treat moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Because an individual's own cells with a normal cell lifespan are being reinfused, researchers are hopeful that there will be minimal side effects from the treatment while maximal benefits are obtained. The KKARC within the BHI is supporting the clinical trial.

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 10,000 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 15

Brink of Pink Symposium

The symposium will be held on September 15, from 8 am–1 pm. 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. Registration coming soon. Rutgers-affiliated faculty, staff, and trainees are invited to submit poster abstracts, and trainees may also indicate whether they would like to be considered for a brief oral presentation. Submissions are due August 7. Submit abstract

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 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. Register now

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

The Ira B. Black Memorial Lecture will take place on Thursday, September 24, at 3:30 pm in the East Lecture Hall. Dr. Michelle Monje, Milan Gambhir Professor of Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at Stanford University and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, will present “Neuron-glial interactions in health and disease: from cognition to cancer”. Light refreshments will be available in the Old Student Lounge following the lecture.

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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