Research in neural aging and degeneration examines the biological mechanisms that drive age-related changes in brain function and the progression of neurodegenerative disease.
Faculty investigate cellular dysfunction, loss of neural connectivity and other processes that contribute to cognitive and behavioral decline. Using both human and animal models, researchers study risk factors, biomarkers and potential interventions to promote brain health across the lifespan. This work informs strategies to address conditions such as ALS, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
Faculty Mentors
| Name | Department | Research Area | Disease Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jose F. Abisambra | Neuroscience | Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Traumatic brain injury |
| Karina Alviña | Neuroscience | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neural Excitability, Synapses and Glia | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Psychiatric Disorders |
| Jennifer L. Bizon | Neuroscience | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neural Excitability, Synapses and Glia; Sensory Systems | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Substance Use Disorder |
| David C. Bloom | Molecular Genetics & Microbiology | Development; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neuroimmunity | N/A |
| Prodip K. Bose | Physiological Sciences | Neural Aging and Degeneration | Spinal Cord Injury |
| Robert M. Caudle | Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery | Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neural Excitability, Synapses and Glia; Sensory Systems | Substance Use Disorder |
| Paramita Chakrabarty | Neuroscience | Cognition; Development; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neuroimmunity | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia |
| Vijayendran Chandran | Pediatrics | Development; Motor Systems; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Spinal Cord Injury; Neuromuscular Disorders |
| Yenisel Cruz-Almeida | Community Dentistry & Behavioral Sciences | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Sensory Systems | N/A |
| Steven T. DeKosky | Neurology/MBI | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia |
| Mingzhou Ding | Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Sensory Systems | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Parkinson’s Disease |
| Matthew Farrer | Neurology | Motor Systems; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neuroimmunity | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Epilepsy; Parkinson’s Disease |
| Marcelo Febo | Psychiatry | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Substance Use Disorder |
| Charles J. Frazier | Pharmacodynamics (College of Pharmacy) | Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neural Excitability, Synapses and Glia | Substance Use Disorder |
| Benoit Giasson | Neuroscience | Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Parkinson’s Disease |
| Christopher Hess | Neurology | Motor Systems; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Parkinson’s Disease |
| Michael Jaffee | Neurology | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia |
| Christopher G. Janus | Neuroscience | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia |
| Habibeh Khoshbouei | Neuroscience | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neural Excitability, Synapses and Glia; Neuroimmunity | Substance Use Disorder |
| Ashok Kumar | Neuroscience | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neural Excitability, Synapses and Glia | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia |
| Damon G. Lamb | Psychiatry | Cognition; Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Psychiatric Disorders |
| Matthew J. LaVoie | Neurology | Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia |
| Jada Lewis | Neuroscience | Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia |
| Ben Lewis | Psychiatry | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neural Excitability, Synapses and Glia; Sensory Systems | Substance Use Disorder |
| Yuqing Li | Neurology | Cognition; Development; Motor Systems; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Psychiatric Disorders |
| Joanna R. Long | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neural Excitability, Synapses and Glia | N/A |
| Ron J. Mandel | Neuroscience | Development; Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Parkinson’s Disease; Psychiatric Disorders |
| Carol Mathews | Psychiatry | Cognition; Development; Motivation and Emotion; Motor Systems; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Sensory Systems | Psychiatric Disorders |
| Nikolaus McFarland | Neurology | Motor Systems; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Parkinson’s Disease |
| Gordon S. Mitchell | Physical Therapy | Development; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Motor Systems; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neural Excitability, Synapses and Glia; Neuroimmunity | Spinal Cord Injury; Neuromuscular Disorders |
| Sara Jo Nixon | Psychiatry | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Substance Use Disorder |
| Michael S. Okun | Neurology | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Motor Systems; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neural Excitability, Synapses and Glia | Parkinson’s Disease |
| Karim Oweiss | Electrical and Computer Engineering | Cognition; Motor Systems; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neural Excitability, Synapses and Glia; Sensory Systems | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Spinal Cord Injury; Neuromuscular Disorders; Parkinson’s Disease |
| Stefan Prokop | Pathology | Development; Neural Aging and Degeneration; Neuroimmunity | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Brain Cancer; Neuromuscular Disorders; Parkinson’s Disease |
| Brent A. Reynolds | Neurosurgery | Development; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Brain Cancer |
| Diego E. Rincon-Limas | Neurology | Development; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia |
| Barry Setlow | Psychiatry | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Psychiatric Disorders; Substance Use Disorder |
| Aparna A. Wagle Shukla | Neurology | Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Spinal Cord Injury; Parkinson’s Disease; Psychiatric Disorders |
| Wolfgang J. Streit | Neuroscience | Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia |
| Maurice S. Swanson | Molecular Genetics & Microbiology | Development; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Neuromuscular Disorders |
| John B. Williamson | Psychiatry | Cognition; Integrative Physiology and Behavior; Motivation and Emotion; Neural Aging and Degeneration | Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia; Psychiatric Disorders |
| James Wymer | Neurology | Neural Aging and Degeneration | Epilepsy; Neuromuscular Disorders |
Key Affiliations
1Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory Clinical Translational Research
Center for NeuroGenetics
Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease
