Shannon Lee, a doctoral student in the Clinical and Health Psychology program at the University of Florida College of Public Health and Health Professions, received a 2025 Cluff Research Award for work examining the role of inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease.
Lee was the lead author of a paper published in September in the Alzheimer’s Association’s scientific journal detailing findings of a study by UF and the University of California, San Francisco into a blood plasma protein that may help identify individuals at higher risk of Alzheimer’s-related neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.
The Cluff Aging Research Awards support student scholarly investigation and research initiatives related to aging and are funded by an endowment from the UF Center for Gerontological Studies, the UF Geriatric Aging Center and Leighton E. Cluff, M.D., a former chair in the College of Medicine.
Lee and her collaborators investigated how inflammation, measured by a blood protein called GFAP, influences the severity of Alzheimer’s disease pathology and cognitive decline in older adults. At higher levels of inflammation, there were stronger links between increased Alzheimer’s disease pathology, brain shrinkage and worse cognition, the study found.
The results support the use of GFAP, an inflammation marker, to help identify who is most at risk for negative outcomes related to Alzheimer’s disease.
Because inflammation can be measured in the blood, Lee said, such biomarker tests are a promising tool for earlier intervention.
“I am incredibly grateful to be a recipient of the Cluff Aging award,” she said, adding that continued funding opportunities for students to engage in aging-related research are essential for advancing our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases and potential prevention and treatment avenues.
“I am excited to keep pushing our work on inflammation pathways of Alzheimer’s disease forward,” she said.