The primary goal of the Research Education Component (REC) is to identify, attract, and promote the career development of ADRD investigators. The PITT-ADRC REC assumes primary responsibility for executing the Center’s bold vision for advancing the ADRD research workforce with a particular emphasis on cultivating the growth of our field’s future leaders.

Howard Aizenstein, MD, PhD
Leader

The inclusion and promotion of junior investigators in multiple areas of dementia research within our PITT-ADRC is an important responsibility of our senior faculty.

With over a dozen federally funded training programs (T32s) in the neurosciences and/or aging, the University of Pittsburgh has the infrastructure for scientific mentoring and a critical mass of trainees – both basic and clinical – with an interest in ADRD research. Through participation in the aforementioned training programs and/or one-on-one mentorship by a senior investigator, early stage investigators at Pitt have many excellent opportunities to develop their skills in clinical and basic research methodology, grant writing, and manuscript preparation. We plan to leverage these existing resources for career development at the University of Pittsburgh by providing an additional centralized program of ADRD-specific research mentoring and an innovative pathway for the development ADRD research leadership through the Optimizing Scientific Careers in AD Research (OSCAR) scholars program.

The REC is tightly integrated with the Center’s cores. We view research training through a primarily apprenticeship model, where the trainees develop through one on one work with their mentors, many of whom are participating faculty in other cores of the ADRC. The REC will enhance the research education occurring in the cores by coordinating trainee-wide activities, individualizing curriculum (especially in matching clinical research activities), and devoting administrative support to organizing events, matching mentees with mentors, and developing centralized resources for navigating the complex clinical research and regulatory environment of ADRD research.

The REC will have a large and sustained impact on the field by training new leaders.  This leadership is essential for meeting the expanding needs of the growing ADRD research work force.  The innovative OSCAR ADRC core leader training program can become a model for research education and leadership training across the ADC network.

 

Jennifer Lingler, PhD, CRNP Co-Leader
Karl Herrup, PhD Co-Investigator
Dana Tudorascu, PhD Co-Investigator
Melissa Knox Coordinator
Kristen Fair Administrative Liaison
Darlene Zellers, PhD Consultant
Doris Rubio, PhD Consultant

 

The OSCAR Scholars Program

OSCAR Scholars participate in ADRD-specific leadership development activities and a leadership apprenticeship with an ADRC Core Leader or Associate Leader. For more information about the program, contact the program coordinator, Melissa Knox at mlk42@pitt.edu.

 

Current OSCAR Scholars

Marissa Gogniat, PhD, MS
Christi Kolarcik, PhD
Jr-Juin (Jean) Liou, PhD, MEng
Sarah K. Royse, PhD, MPH
Lilcelia (CeCe) Williams, PhD, MBA, BSRT(T)

 

 

Alumni

 
2022-2023

Teresa Anguiano, PhD
Yurun Cai, PhD
H. Matthew Lehrer, PhD
Pradeep Reddy Raamana, PhD

2021-2022

Mary Ackenbom, MD, MS
Brandon McKinney, MD, PhD
Tharick Pascoal, MD, PhD
Kristine Wilckens, PhD

2020-2021

Bistra Iordanova, PhD
Helmet Karim, PhD
Thomas Pearce, MD, PhD
C. Elizabeth Shaaban, PhD
Andrea Weinstein, PhD

 

Meet the current OSCAR Scholars

Marissa Gogniat, PhD, MS

Dr. Marissa Gogniat is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at Pitt’s School of Medicine. With a strong background in the neurobiology of aging, Dr. Gogniat is dedicated to understanding the neuroprotective mechanisms of health and wellness factors in older adulthood. 

Dr. Gogniat’s research bridges gaps between cutting-edge neuroimaging, clinical neuropsychology, kinesiology, public health, and advanced statistical methodologies. Her long-term research goals aim to uncover the neural mechanisms underlying lifestyle factors, particularly physical activity, to inform preventive strategies and identify therapeutic targets for neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. 

As a clinical Neuropsychology postdoctoral T32 fellow in at the Vanderbilt Memory and Alzheimer’s Center, Dr. Gogniat has gained experiences supporting the Clinical, Neuroimaging and Outreach Cores in an exploratory ADRC. 

Participating as an OSCAR scholar in the Clinical Core, Dr. Gogniat seeks opportunities to enhance her leadership abilities, establish connections with leaders in the field, and cultivate collaborations with peers.

Christi Kolarcik, PhD

Dr. Christi Kolarcik is a Research Assistant Professor of Pathology in the School of Medicine with secondary appointments in Bioengineering (School of Engineering), the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute.  Her research program is dedicated to determining the basic biological mechanisms underlying neuronal and neural circuit-level dysfunction in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), frontal temporal dementia (FTD), and related conditions.

Dr. Kolarcik’s innovative, multidisciplinary research spans the fields of neuropathology and neural engineering and is fueled by her deep connections to the people affected by neurodegenerative diseases.  Her research team is specifically interested in the neural circuit-level mechanisms responsible for the overlapping clinical phenotypes observed in conditions on the ALS-FTD disease spectrum. Dr. Kolarcik’s long-term goals are to link circuit- to cellular- to molecular-level events in ALS and FTD, thereby informing the design of therapeutic strategies.

Participating as an OSCAR Scholar in the Clinical Core, Dr. Kolarcik looks forward to launching collaborative partnerships with established and emerging leaders in the field of neurodegenerative diseases.  She also seeks to further develop her leadership and mentorship abilities through her relationships with senior investigators and peer colleagues.

Jr-Jiun (Jean) Liou, PhD, MEng

Dr. Liou is a postdoctoral associate in the department of bioengineering with a strong interest in utilizing neuroimaging and biomarkers for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in AD. 

She has gained valuable experience working with research teams led by Dr. Tamer Ibrahim in bioengineering and Dr. Julia Kofler in pathology. Dr. Liou’s research goals aim to advance diagnostic tools by exploring the combination of multiple imaging modalities and biomarkers to improve AD prediction and confirm diagnosis. Additionally, she aims to contribute to spatially targeted AD drug development through functional MRI and tau PET scans. 

Dr. Liou’s long-term career plan is to become an independent scientist focusing on diagnostics and therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases.  

As an OSCAR Scholar in the Neuroimaging Core, Dr. Liou aims to establish valuable connections in the field of AD research, seeks a fresh perspective on AD, and hopes to increase the specificity in neuroimaging biomarkers for abnormal tissue degeneration with the support of histopathology. 

 

Sarah K. Royse, PhD, MPH

Dr. Sarah Royse is a Research Instructor in the department of Radiology.  Her research interests focus on understanding the etiology and progression of ADRD pathology, particularly in African American populations. 

Dr. Royse aims to use innovative neuroimaging techniques to assess ADRD biomarkers in relation to specific exposures more common in the African American population. She also seeks to strengthen causal interpretations in observational ADRD neuroimaging studies through the application of epidemiological methods. 

She seeks to develop the skills needed to implement and lead transdisciplinary ADRD research as an OSCAR Scholar in the Neuroimaging core. Dr. Royse also aims to gain practical management techniques necessary for conducting complex ADRD research.  She hopes to accelerate her professional growth through direct observation of effective leadership and management strategies in ADRD research.

Lilcelia (CeCe) A. Williams, PhD, MBA, BSRT(T)

Dr. CeCe Williams is a postdoctoral trainee in Pitt’s Integrated Clinical Research and Geroscience T32 program and an Instructor in the department of Physician Assistant Studies at Pitt’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. 

Dr. William’s research focuses on health disparities experienced by racial and ethnic minority communities, particularly in ADRD. She aims to establish a research program that identifies sustainable practices for equitable access to high quality patient-centered care for minoritized communities.  

Her background in healthcare administration and related observations of health system barriers has motivated her to seek avenues for marginalized communities to have agency and optimal patient experiences. She seeks to establish safe, culturally inclusive, and responsive healthcare environments that empower racial and ethnic minoritized patients to be active participants in their healthcare and advocates for meaningful outcomes. 

Dr. Williams aims to become a clinician scientist with expertise in health equity research in ADRD and related chronic conditions, leading a program of research evaluating contributors to health disparities and developing practices to address them. 

Through the OSCAR Scholars Program, Dr. Williams seeks opportunities to collaborate with experts in ADRD, community engagement, social and economic well-being, and health services research, as well as to gain expertise in designing and conducting qualitative research studies with large datasets and increase grantsmanship and dissemination.