By Jill Pease
Shannon Lee, a Ph.D. student in the Clinical and Health Psychology program at the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions, has been selected as a Graduate Student Scholar by the Health Enhancement Scientific Program, a National Institutes of Health-affiliated research mentorship program led by investigators at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
The program supports emerging scientists by providing tailored mentoring to ultimately expand the workforce of professionals working in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The fellowship program is administered through the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, a longitudinal, multi-site study focused on validating biomarkers to improve diagnosis, disease monitoring and clinical trials in aging populations at risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
Trainees receive extensive training in translational, clinical and community-engaged research, as well as mentorship in professional development, grant writing, publishing and research collaboration.
The fellowship comes with a stipend and tuition and conference travel funding for up to two years, but the benefits of the program extend well beyond the financial, Lee said.
“I am looking forward to new opportunities to learn from members of my cohort, which includes other graduate students, postdocs and early career investigators,” Lee said. “I am also excited to participate in the program’s curated didactics and annual conference, while receiving individualized support from program mentors and data scientists to refine my research design and project approaches.”
Lee is currently finalizing the scope of her dissertation research, but her primary interests are in biological mechanisms and modifiable lifestyle factors that contribute to risk and resilience in the Alzheimer’s disease course. After graduation, she plans to work toward becoming a board-certified neuropsychologist specializing in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias with a focus on both clinical and research work.
“Recently, my work has focused on the role of inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease, specifically the role of astrocyte (a type of central nervous system cell) reactivity and its influence on Alzheimer’s disease pathology and downstream neurodegeneration and cognitive decline,” Lee said.