Meet the Team
Meet the Team
Meet the CADRC Team
The Cleveland Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (CADRC) is powered by a diverse, multidisciplinary team of scientists, clinicians, educators, community partners, and research staff across Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, MetroHealth, and the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. This page allows you to explore our leadership, core teams, investigators, coordinators, staff, and community partners who make our work possible. Use the table of contents below to navigate directly to the section you’re interested in.
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CADRC Core Leaders
Jagan A. Pillai, MD, PhD
CADRC Director; Administrative Core Leader; Clinical Core Co-Leader
Jagan A. Pillai, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurology Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University Neurologist, Cleveland Clinic Administrative Core Leader, Clinical Core Co-Leader
Dr. Jagan Pillai is a Board-Certified Neurologist, Diplomate in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry and holds the Iversen Family Endowed Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease Research at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Pillai received his PhD at Northwestern University, IL and completed his neurology residency training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY and his fellowship training at the University of California San Diego, CA. Dr. Pillai has extensive experience in the characterization of cognitive, and behavioral changes among neurodegenerative disease subjects. He has expertise in methods for studying and modeling clinical heterogeneity, particularly with respect to biomarkers and clinical outcomes. He serves on the board of directors and the professional advisory board of the Cleveland chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. He serves as an Associate editor at ‘Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy’ and as dementia section editor for ‘Current Treatment Options in Neurology’. Currently, he is the principal investigator for studies funded by the Department of Defense, Foundation grants and the National Institute of Health.
Can you please tell me about your role in the CADRC?
I am a cognitive neurologist at the Center for Brain Health, which means I primarily see patients with cognitive problems and try to understand why they have them, whether it is from medical conditions or neurological changes. I also conduct translational research, trying to see how best to care for these patients going forward. Combining these roles, I have two complimentary positions in the ADRC. I am a clinician at the clinical core which means we do evaluations of people coming into the ADRC, as well as a scholar in the Research Education Committee (REC), where the goal is to develop research skills for the next generation of researchers in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
Can you please tell me what key questions your research is intended to answer?
My clinical research is driven by impressions I have gathered of the patients I see. One of the key questions I deal with as a clinician is why everyone with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s does not behave the same way. Some people have a very fast progression of the disease, within a year or two of onset, however other people have a very slow progression, where changes happen over 12-15 years. My primary focus of the last five years has been understanding why this happens and if the immune system is one factor driving this difference in progression. My second focus deals with the different phenotypes and characteristics of patients with the disease. Some people with AD present primarily with memory problems, which is commonly known. But other times people with AD can also present with language problems, difficulty seeing things clearly, spatial problems, or behavioral issues. These specific skills involve different parts of the brain, so the question is why are some people more prone to memory problems over other conditions. Presumably they all have the same underlying AD pathology with amyloid and tau protein accumulation in the brain, so why is there so much variation among our patients? The latter project is being pursued through the ADRC in trying to understand if there are differences in the pathological protein expressed in these patients with different clinical presentations and understanding their genetic characteristics.
How did you get interested in dementia research?
My drive had been in trying to understand why people are different in the way they think and what they understand. That question has morphed into trying to understand how people with the same kind of brain pathology can be very different in their presentation and how can you best help them. The bottom line is I feel people are very unique in their capabilities, so neurodegenerative diseases affect them in a very specific way. Understanding what is so special about each person can allow us to help them in the best way possible rather than having a generic solution.
What do you think has been most helpful to your career so far?
Most helpful to my career was the advice I received from one of my mentors when I was just starting my research over twelve years ago. It is important to pick an area of interest that you can use all of your skill sets and really grow from. I trained primarily in neurophysiology and clinic neurology, but now my work is mostly in proteomics and genomics and that came through from following my research questions and from such advice.
Specific to the ADRC, what do you think has been helpful to your research?
Having the ADRC in Cleveland focuses the energy of a large group of talented clinicians and researchers and allows us to cooperate much more effectively than we would have done by ourselves.
What does the future of dementia research look like to you?
I think we will have a clearer way of treating and improving the quality of life in patients before they develop dementia. I also believe there will be a lot of focus on developing a very targeted treatment plan for each person.
Is there anything you would like to add?
One of the things that I’ve seen in the field of neurodegenerative diseases is there is a lot of energy and excitement surrounding it. Often, the public feels there have been a lot of failures with therapies for Alzheimer’s, but as researchers trying to understand the disease, our understanding has grown by leaps and bounds. I feel like this has been a very positive development in the field.
Brian S. Appleby, MD
Clinical Core Leader; Neuropathology Core Co-Leader
Brian S. Appleby, MD
Director, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center
Professor of Neurology,
Psychiatry and Pathology,
Case Western Reserve University
Medical Director, CJD Foundation
Chair, Professional Advisory Board, Cleveland Alzheimer’s Association
Dr. Appleby is a Professor of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Pathology at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Appleby received a B.A. in biology and philosophy from Goucher College and a M.D. from Georgetown University School of Medicine. He completed a psychiatry residency and geriatric psychiatry fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He currently serves as the Director of the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, as Medical Director of the CJD Foundation, and Chair of the Cleveland Alzheimer’s Association Chapter’s Professional Advisory Board. He sees patients at University Hospitals Foley Elderhealth Center.
His research and clinical interests include young onset and atypical dementias, specifically prion diseases and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Dr. Appleby has several projects examining the clinical and translational aspects of prion diseases. In particular, he is interested in improving diagnosis, developing diagnostic tests and biomarkers, and surveilling for novel prion diseases (e.g., possible chronic wasting disease in humans). He is also a site principle investigator for Advancing Research and Treatment for Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (ARTFL), a multisite study for clinical research in frontotemporal lobar degeneration.
Jonathan L. Haines, PhD
Data Management & Statistics Core (DMSC) Leader
Jonathan L. Haines, PhD
Founder and Director, Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology
Chair, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Mary W. Sheldon M.D. Professor of Genomic Sciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Jonathan Haines, PhD, is an internationally recognized researcher and educator with extensive experience in all aspects of genetic epidemiology, with a particular focus on data analytics. He has applied his expertise to numerous neurological and ophthalmological disorders, and is credited with locating more than 20 causal and 200 associated genetic loci. He has led or collaborated on numerous national and international genetic epidemiology studies, lending his expertise to defining the genetic architecture of aging diseases including macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s Disease.
He advocates for diversity in genetic sampling and a comprehensive view of data analytics, recognizing that environmental and social impacts can inform genetic expression and biomedical outcomes. By applying sophisticated, computational methods to diverse, large data sets, he seeks to uncover contributing factors to disease and chronic conditions to inform how patients are cared for clinically and how communities shape healthy environments that support personal choices.
Dr. Haines is the Mary W. Sheldon M.D. Professor of Genomic Sciences and Chair of the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, which also is the administrative home of the Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology, which he founded and directs. The Institute is a collaboration among Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland, and the Cleveland Clinic. The Institute collaborates with health systems to lead data analytics based on hundreds of thousands of electronic health records to inform best practices in clinical care. Institute principals also collaborate with researchers beyond Cleveland, lending expertise in complex analytics that integrate genetic, biomedical and population health data to inform patient and community care.
Dr. Haines serves on multiple advisory councils and is on the editorial board or reviews for numerous journals. Among his current appointments: NIH’s National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research, the Scientific Advisory Panel to NIH’s National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) Genome Sequencing Program, Board of Directors for the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), and Executive Committee of the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project, supported by NIH’s National Institute on Aging. Among the journal editorial boards on which he serves are Neurogenetics, Human Molecular Genetics, and Nature Genomic Medicine.
Dr. Haines has held many academic appointments, beginning his early career at Harvard Medical School. He was a Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine with joint appointments in several departments, including as Chief of the Division of Human Genomics, and founding director of the Center for Human Genetics Research. His academic appointments in addition to serving as Chair of the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine include professorships with the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences and the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, as well as an appointment with the Lerner Research Institute at Cleveland Clinic.
Lynn Bekris, PhD
Biomarker Core Co-Leader
Allison Kraus, PhD
Biomarker Core Leader, Neuropathology Core Co-Investigator
Allison Kraus, PhD
Dr. Kraus is an Associate Professor of Pathology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dr. Kraus received a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Alberta, Canada and subsequently conducted post-doctoral training at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health where she began studying Alzheimer’s and related diseases. She was recruited to Case Western Reserve University to start her independent laboratory in 2019. She holds the Harding and Chung Endowed Professorship and currently serves as the Associate Director of the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center and as a standing member on NIH study section. Dr. Kraus joined the Cleveland ADRC team in 2021 as co-Investigator with the Biomarker and Neuropathology Cores. In 2025, she took on the role of BC Lead.
Dr. Kraus’ research focuses on the misfolded proteins that characterize neurodegenerative diseases including prion diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, frontotemporal dementias, Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease. As part of this,
her research team develops ultrasensitive diagnostic assays (real-time quaking-induced conversion or RT-QuIC seed amplification assays) and uses techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy with cellular and animal models to understand the protein structures and biological
mechanisms that underpin neurodegenerative disease development and progression. Her work has included the development of the first seed amplification assay to detect Alzheimer’s disease tau proteins, and the determination of the first ever high resolution cryo-electron microscopy of infectious prion structures. Broadly, research in her lab focuses on understanding key structural and biochemical aspects of self-propagating misfolded proteins characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease and other related neurodegenerative diseases, including as they relate to biomarker discovery and development. Key goals of her laboratory include aims to identify when misfolded proteins mark disease processes in human patients, and towards a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of disease processes to support development of early preventative therapeutic strategies.
Mark L. Cohen, MD
Neuropathology Core Leader
Mark L. Cohen, MD
Co-Director, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center
Professor of Pathology and Neurology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
After graduating from Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences and Medical School, Dr. Cohen became board-certified in Anatomic, Clinical, and Neuropathology at University Hospitals of Cleveland, where he is now Professor of Pathology and Neurology as well as Co-Director of the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center. He has extensive experience evaluating and characterizing neurodegenerative pathology. He has a special interest in prion disease and rpAD.
Dr. Cohen has broad experience in neuroanatomy, immunohistochemistry, and neurochemistry with over 30 years of experience in the neuropathology of neurodegenerative disorders. He will oversee all activities of the Neuropathology Core (NPC) and will be responsible for all histological & immunohistochemical evaluation of brain samples in the NPC of CADRC. He will analyze all neurohistological and immunohistochemical stains, and will review all tissue sections used for publications.
Mark J. Lowe, PhD
Neuroimaging Core Leader
Mark J. Lowe, PhD
Director, High Field MRI
Section Head, Imaging Sciences Section, Imaging Institute, Cleveland Clinic
Professor of Radiology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Dr. Lowe received his PhD in high-energy physics from the University of Minnesota. In 1994, he joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a post-doctoral fellow in MRI physics. Dr. Lowe joined the Imaging Institute of Cleveland Clinic in 2003 as the Director of High-Field MRI. He is Professor of Radiology and heads the Imaging Sciences section of the Imaging Institute. Dr. Lowe’s research interests are developing MRI-based techniques to study brain network connectivity and the application of those methods to both basic neuroscience as well as clinical research.
Martha Sajatovic, MD
OREC Core Leader
Martha Sajatovic, MD
Director, Neurological and Behavioral Outcomes Center, Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Willard Brown Chair, Neurological Outcomes, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Dr. Sajatovic is Professor of Psychiatry and of Neurology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a researcher, educator, and clinician who has devoted herself to the study and treatment of traditionally hard-to-treat populations with central nervous system disorders. Dr. Sajatovic holds the Willard Brown Chair in Neurological Outcomes at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (UHCMC) and directs the Neurological and Behavioral Outcomes Center at UHCMC/CWRU. She has subspecialty certification in Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry.
Dr. Sajatovic’s research interests have focused on neuropsychiatric outcomes of brain disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, stroke, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease. She also has research interests in self-management of chronic health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, in health disparities and in health rating scales used in clinical trials. Over the last two decades, Dr. Sajatovic has been the recipient of multiple research grants including support from the National Institute of Aging (NIA), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH), the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) as well as a variety of private foundations, and industry-sponsored clinical trials.
Dr. Sajatovic has published widely on treatments and health services delivery as well as in the area of treatment adherence and health promotion in a variety of CNS disorders. She has authored or co-authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications, and has published over 40 book chapters or books on neuropsychiatric topics.
Dr. Sajatovic has been a guest lecturer at numerous academic and community settings, both on a national and international level, including speaking to consumer and family advocacy groups for individuals with psychiatric illness. Dr. Sajatovic has been a recipient of the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award bestowed by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), was a Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) 2006 Gerald Klerman Investigator Award winner in 2006 and in 2016 and in 2018 received the Rebecca Goldberg Kaufman American Epilepsy Society (AES) Clinical Award in Ethical Neuropsychiatry.
Xiongwei Zhu, PhD
Research Education Component (REC) Leader
Xiongwei Zhu, PhD
Professor of Pathology and Neurology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Director, Graduate Program, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Director, NIH-Sponsored Neurodegenerative Disease T32 Training Grantd.
Dr. Zhu is Professor of Pathology and of Neurology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a researcher, and educator who has devoted himself to the study of pathogenic mechanism underlying Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegenerative diseases. He is the Director of Pathology Graduate Program at Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, CWRU and Director of NIH-sponsored Neurodegenerative Disease T32 Training Grant.
Dr. Zhu’s research interests have focused on oxidative stress signaling and mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (ADRD). During the last two decades, he maintains a competitive research program that has been continuously funded by National Institute on Aging (NIA) and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). He has also been the recipient of multiple research grants including support from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Alzheimer’s Association, as well as a variety of private foundations, and industry-sponsored grants.
Dr. Zhu has devoted large efforts in research education and has mentored numerous trainees at different levels from undergraduate students, graduate students, medical students to postdoctoral and junior faculty. He has published extensively with his trainees. He has authored or co-authored over 280 peer-reviewed publications on ADRD related topics.
Dr. Zhu has been a guest lecturer at numerous academic and community settings, both on a national and international level. He is an active editorial member for more than ten reputable international journals in the field of neuroscience and neurodegeneration and is currently Deputy Chief Editor for Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Journal of Neurochemistry. He routinely reviews grant applications for National Institute of Health (NIH), NASA, Veteran Health Administration (VA), Department of Defense (DOD) and other national and international funding organizations.
CADRC Core Leaders
Jagan A. Pillai, MD, PhD
CADRC Director; Administrative Core Leader; Clinical Core Co-Leader
Lynn Bekris, PhD
Biomarker Core Co-Leader
Administrative Core
The Administrative Core (AC) provides the CADRC’s infrastructure and coordinates collaboration across eight cores, four institutions, and all involved personnel. It organizes everything from small core meetings to full Center meetings with the Internal and External Advisory Committees, fostering communication and progress. The AC also manages MTAs and DUAs to ensure ethical sample and data transfer, oversees the Center’s budget, prepares the annual progress report, guides the resubmission process, resolves core-level challenges, and maintains the overall “centeredness” of the CADRC.
The Administrative Core can be reached at CADRC@ccf.org
Jagan A. Pillai, MD, PhD
CADRC Director; Administrative Core Leader; Clinical Core Co-Leader
Jagan A. Pillai, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurology Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University Neurologist, Cleveland Clinic Administrative Core Leader, Clinical Core Co-Leader
Dr. Jagan Pillai is a Board-Certified Neurologist, Diplomate in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry and holds the Iversen Family Endowed Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease Research at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Pillai received his PhD at Northwestern University, IL and completed his neurology residency training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY and his fellowship training at the University of California San Diego, CA. Dr. Pillai has extensive experience in the characterization of cognitive, and behavioral changes among neurodegenerative disease subjects. He has expertise in methods for studying and modeling clinical heterogeneity, particularly with respect to biomarkers and clinical outcomes. He serves on the board of directors and the professional advisory board of the Cleveland chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. He serves as an Associate editor at ‘Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy’ and as dementia section editor for ‘Current Treatment Options in Neurology’. Currently, he is the principal investigator for studies funded by the Department of Defense, Foundation grants and the National Institute of Health.
Can you please tell me about your role in the CADRC?
I am a cognitive neurologist at the Center for Brain Health, which means I primarily see patients with cognitive problems and try to understand why they have them, whether it is from medical conditions or neurological changes. I also conduct translational research, trying to see how best to care for these patients going forward. Combining these roles, I have two complimentary positions in the ADRC. I am a clinician at the clinical core which means we do evaluations of people coming into the ADRC, as well as a scholar in the Research Education Committee (REC), where the goal is to develop research skills for the next generation of researchers in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
Can you please tell me what key questions your research is intended to answer?
My clinical research is driven by impressions I have gathered of the patients I see. One of the key questions I deal with as a clinician is why everyone with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s does not behave the same way. Some people have a very fast progression of the disease, within a year or two of onset, however other people have a very slow progression, where changes happen over 12-15 years. My primary focus of the last five years has been understanding why this happens and if the immune system is one factor driving this difference in progression. My second focus deals with the different phenotypes and characteristics of patients with the disease. Some people with AD present primarily with memory problems, which is commonly known. But other times people with AD can also present with language problems, difficulty seeing things clearly, spatial problems, or behavioral issues. These specific skills involve different parts of the brain, so the question is why are some people more prone to memory problems over other conditions. Presumably they all have the same underlying AD pathology with amyloid and tau protein accumulation in the brain, so why is there so much variation among our patients? The latter project is being pursued through the ADRC in trying to understand if there are differences in the pathological protein expressed in these patients with different clinical presentations and understanding their genetic characteristics.
How did you get interested in dementia research?
My drive had been in trying to understand why people are different in the way they think and what they understand. That question has morphed into trying to understand how people with the same kind of brain pathology can be very different in their presentation and how can you best help them. The bottom line is I feel people are very unique in their capabilities, so neurodegenerative diseases affect them in a very specific way. Understanding what is so special about each person can allow us to help them in the best way possible rather than having a generic solution.
What do you think has been most helpful to your career so far?
Most helpful to my career was the advice I received from one of my mentors when I was just starting my research over twelve years ago. It is important to pick an area of interest that you can use all of your skill sets and really grow from. I trained primarily in neurophysiology and clinic neurology, but now my work is mostly in proteomics and genomics and that came through from following my research questions and from such advice.
Specific to the ADRC, what do you think has been helpful to your research?
Having the ADRC in Cleveland focuses the energy of a large group of talented clinicians and researchers and allows us to cooperate much more effectively than we would have done by ourselves.
What does the future of dementia research look like to you?
I think we will have a clearer way of treating and improving the quality of life in patients before they develop dementia. I also believe there will be a lot of focus on developing a very targeted treatment plan for each person.
Is there anything you would like to add?
One of the things that I’ve seen in the field of neurodegenerative diseases is there is a lot of energy and excitement surrounding it. Often, the public feels there have been a lot of failures with therapies for Alzheimer’s, but as researchers trying to understand the disease, our understanding has grown by leaps and bounds. I feel like this has been a very positive development in the field.
Ann W. Nguyen, PhD
Developmental Project Awardee
Ann W. Nguyen, PhD Case Western Reserve University (2022-2024)
Dr. Nguyen is an Assistant Professor in the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Sciences. Her research examines psychosocial determinants of health among older Black Americans. The overarching goal of her research is to contribute to health equity by identifying modifiable factors that persistently place older Black adults at greater risk for health problems than older white adults. See Dr. Nguyen’s “Meet the Investigator” interview
In 2023, she received a National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center award on “Moderating Effects of Neighborhood Characteristics in the Relationship between Trajectories of Social Disconnection and Cognitive Decline in Black Americans”.In July 2024, she received the CADRC Development Award in July 2024.
Dr. Nguyen won the ADRC REC Rising Star Award in NACC Spring Meeting held in Washington DC.
Her work that demonstrated that connecting with friends is key to limiting social isolation and reducing Alzheimer’s was featured on 03/20/2024 at Case Daily.
Biz Kisela
CADRC Administrator
Naomi Worthington
Project Manager
Administrative Core
The Administrative Core (AC) provides the CADRC’s infrastructure and coordinates collaboration across eight cores, four institutions, and all involved personnel. It organizes everything from small core meetings to full Center meetings with the Internal and External Advisory Committees, fostering communication and progress. The AC also manages MTAs and DUAs to ensure ethical sample and data transfer, oversees the Center’s budget, prepares the annual progress report, guides the resubmission process, resolves core-level challenges, and maintains the overall “centeredness” of the CADRC.
The Administrative Core can be reached at CADRC@ccf.org
Biomarker Core
The CADRC Biomarker Core (BC) provides the resources researchers need to study the biological factors driving Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). By collecting biospecimens such as cerebrospinal fluid and plasma over time, the BC supports biomarker discovery that advances diagnostic and therapeutic development. Based at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, it provides high-quality, standardized samples and analyses that enable data sharing and collaboration across CADRC and other centers following NIH best practices. The BC also works closely with the Administrative Core (AC), Research Education Component (REC), Data Management and Statistical Core (DMSC), and Clinical Core (CC).
Allison Kraus, PhD
Biomarker Core Leader, Neuropathology Core Co-Investigator
Allison Kraus, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Dr. Kraus is an Associate Professor of Pathology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Dr. Kraus received a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Alberta, Canada and subsequently conducted post-doctoral training at Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institutes of Health where she began studying Alzheimer’s and related diseases. She was recruited to Case Western Reserve University to start her independent laboratory in 2019. She holds the Harding and Chung Endowed Professorship and currently serves as the Associate Director of the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center and as a standing member on NIH study section. Dr. Kraus joined the Cleveland ADRC team in 2021 as co-Investigator with the Biomarker and Neuropathology Cores. In 2025, she took on the role of BC Lead.
Dr. Kraus’ research focuses on the misfolded proteins that characterize neurodegenerative diseases including prion diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, frontotemporal dementias, Dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease. As part of this,
her research team develops ultrasensitive diagnostic assays (real-time quaking-induced conversion or RT-QuIC seed amplification assays) and uses techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy with cellular and animal models to understand the protein structures and biological
mechanisms that underpin neurodegenerative disease development and progression. Her work has included the development of the first seed amplification assay to detect Alzheimer’s disease tau proteins, and the determination of the first ever high resolution cryo-electron microscopy of infectious prion structures. Broadly, research in her lab focuses on understanding key structural and biochemical aspects of self-propagating misfolded proteins characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease and other related neurodegenerative diseases, including as they relate to biomarker discovery and development. Key goals of her laboratory include aims to identify when misfolded proteins mark disease processes in human patients, and towards a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of disease processes to support development of early preventative therapeutic strategies.
Lynn M. Bekris, PhD
Biomarker Core Co-Leader
Russell Bowler, MD, PhD
Co-Investigator
Lavanya Jain, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Scholar
Maria Khrestian
Lead Research Technologist
Matteo Manca, PhD
Research Associate
Junyi Liang, PhD
Research Associate
Shan Simon
Research Coordinator
Biomarker Core
The CADRC Biomarker Core (BC) provides the resources researchers need to study the biological factors driving Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). By collecting biospecimens such as cerebrospinal fluid and plasma over time, the BC supports biomarker discovery that advances diagnostic and therapeutic development. Based at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, it provides high-quality, standardized samples and analyses that enable data sharing and collaboration across CADRC and other centers following NIH best practices. The BC also works closely with the Administrative Core (AC), Research Education Component (REC), Data Management and Statistical Core (DMSC), and Clinical Core (CC).
Lynn M. Bekris, PhD
Biomarker Core Co-Leader
Russell Bowler, MD, PhD
Co-Investigator
Lavanya Jain, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Scholar
Maria Khrestian
Lead Research Technologist
Matteo Manca, PhD
Research Associate
Junyi Liang, PhD
Research Associate
Shan Simon
Research Coordinator
Clinical Core
The Clinical Core, led by Dr. Brian S. Appleby and Dr. Jagan Pillai, supports the CADRC’s mission to accelerate research on aging-related diseases by enrolling participants with Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, atypical dementias, and individuals without dementia. The team follows participants over time, collecting clinical data, biospecimens, and imaging to better understand dementia biology.
Clinicians and researchers from Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and the VA coordinate all aspects of participation, including scheduling visits, informed consent, neurologic and neuropsychological assessments, health and family histories, specialized procedures such as lumbar punctures, MRI, and PET scans, and ensuring accurate, secure data entry.
Brian S. Appleby, MD
Clinical Core Leader; Neuropathology Core Co-Leader
Brian S. Appleby, MD
Director, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center
Professor of Neurology,
Psychiatry and Pathology,
Case Western Reserve University
Medical Director, CJD Foundation
Chair, Professional Advisory Board, Cleveland Alzheimer’s Association
Dr. Appleby is a Professor of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Pathology at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Appleby received a B.A. in biology and philosophy from Goucher College and a M.D. from Georgetown University School of Medicine. He completed a psychiatry residency and geriatric psychiatry fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He currently serves as the Director of the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, as Medical Director of the CJD Foundation, and Chair of the Cleveland Alzheimer’s Association Chapter’s Professional Advisory Board. He sees patients at University Hospitals Foley Elderhealth Center.
His research and clinical interests include young onset and atypical dementias, specifically prion diseases and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Dr. Appleby has several projects examining the clinical and translational aspects of prion diseases. In particular, he is interested in improving diagnosis, developing diagnostic tests and biomarkers, and surveilling for novel prion diseases (e.g., possible chronic wasting disease in humans). He is also a site principle investigator for Advancing Research and Treatment for Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (ARTFL), a multisite study for clinical research in frontotemporal lobar degeneration.
Jagan A. Pillai, MD, PhD
CADRC Director; Administrative Core Leader; Clinical Core Co-Leader
Peijun Chen, MD
Co-Investigator, VA CADRC Leader
Mohamed Elkasaby, MD
Co-Investigator
Alexsandra Kovacevich, MD
Co-Investigator
Paula K. Ogrocki, PhD
Co-Investigator
Muralidhar Pallaki, MD
Co-Investigator
Betsy Pehek, MD
Co-Investigator
Stephen Rao, PhD
Co-Investigator
Kasia Rothenberg, PhD
Co-Investigator
Rajeet Shrestha, MD
Co-Investigator
Nicole Cobb
Research Coordinator
Victoria Criswell
Research Coordinator
Jasmine Crook
Research Coordinator
Natalie Ehret
Research Coordinator
MJ Helppi
Research Coordinator
Nilima Patel
Research Coordinator
Parianne Fatica
Clinical Research Specialist
Lyndsi Powell
Clinical Research Specialist II
Susie Sami
Clinical Research Specialist III
Gordon Williams
Clinical Research Specialist II
Brian Smith
Project Manager
Amy Hessel, NP
Research Staff
Maria Toth, RN
Research Staff
Marianne Sanders, RN
Research Staff
Matt Zgodinski, NP
Research Staff
Teresa Dolinar, MD
VA Co-Investigator
Karin Mente, MD
VA Co-Investigator
Andrew Pieper, MD, PhD
VA Co-Investigator
Kristal Samson, PsyD
VA Co-Investigator
Alyssa Peters
VA Research Staff
Clinical Core
The Clinical Core, led by Dr. Brian S. Appleby and Dr. Jagan Pillai, supports the CADRC’s mission to accelerate research on aging-related diseases by enrolling participants with Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, atypical dementias, and individuals without dementia. The team follows participants over time, collecting clinical data, biospecimens, and imaging to better understand dementia biology.
Clinicians and researchers from Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, and the VA coordinate all aspects of participation, including scheduling visits, informed consent, neurologic and neuropsychological assessments, health and family histories, specialized procedures such as lumbar punctures, MRI, and PET scans, and ensuring accurate, secure data entry.
Jagan A. Pillai, MD, PhD
CADRC Director; Administrative Core Leader; Clinical Core Co-Leader
Peijun Chen, MD
Co-Investigator, VA CADRC Leader
Mohamed Elkasaby, MD
Co-Investigator
Alexsandra Kovacevich, MD
Co-Investigator
Paula K. Ogrocki, PhD
Co-Investigator
Muralidhar Pallaki, MD
Co-Investigator
Betsy Pehek, MD
Co-Investigator
Stephen Rao, PhD
Co-Investigator
Kasia Rothenberg, PhD
Co-Investigator
Rajeet Shrestha, MD
Co-Investigator
Nicole Cobb
Research Coordinator
Victoria Criswell
Research Coordinator
Jasmine Crook
Research Coordinator
Natalie Ehret
Research Coordinator
MJ Helppi
Research Coordinator
Nilima Patel
Research Coordinator
Parianne Fatica
Clinical Research Specialist
Lyndsi Powell
Clinical Research Specialist II
Susie Sami
Clinical Research Specialist III
Gordon Williams
Clinical Research Specialist II
Brian Smith
Project Manager
Amy Hessel, NP
Research Staff
Maria Toth, RN
Research Staff
Marianne Sanders, RN
Research Staff
Matt Zgodinski, NP
Research Staff
Teresa Dolinar, MD
VA Co-Investigator
Karin Mente, MD
VA Co-Investigator
Andrew Pieper, MD, PhD
VA Co-Investigator
Kristal Samson, PsyD
VA Co-Investigator
Alyssa Peters
VA Research Staff
Data Management & Statistics Core
The Data Management and Statistics Core (DMSC) supports CADRC researchers by securely collecting, managing, analyzing, and interpreting large, complex datasets—including clinical, demographic, biomarker, imaging, genetic, and longitudinal data. The DMSC maintains a secure research environment (SRE) with controlled access and controls that meet HIPAA, FISMA, and SANS/ISO standards.
The DMSC facilitates data sharing across CADRC cores and institutions, and regularly transfers appropriate data to the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) through secure protocols. It also provides expertise in study design, biostatistics, and data analysis, including clinical trial design, data modeling, data mining, and genomic analysis.
Jonathan L. Haines, PhD
DMSC Core Leader
Jonathan L. Haines, PhD
Founder and Director, Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology
Chair, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Mary W. Sheldon M.D. Professor of Genomic Sciences, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Jonathan Haines, PhD, is an internationally recognized researcher and educator with extensive experience in all aspects of genetic epidemiology, with a particular focus on data analytics. He has applied his expertise to numerous neurological and ophthalmological disorders, and is credited with locating more than 20 causal and 200 associated genetic loci. He has led or collaborated on numerous national and international genetic epidemiology studies, lending his expertise to defining the genetic architecture of aging diseases including macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s Disease.
He advocates for diversity in genetic sampling and a comprehensive view of data analytics, recognizing that environmental and social impacts can inform genetic expression and biomedical outcomes. By applying sophisticated, computational methods to diverse, large data sets, he seeks to uncover contributing factors to disease and chronic conditions to inform how patients are cared for clinically and how communities shape healthy environments that support personal choices.
Dr. Haines is the Mary W. Sheldon M.D. Professor of Genomic Sciences and Chair of the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, which also is the administrative home of the Cleveland Institute for Computational Biology, which he founded and directs. The Institute is a collaboration among Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, University Hospitals Cleveland, and the Cleveland Clinic. The Institute collaborates with health systems to lead data analytics based on hundreds of thousands of electronic health records to inform best practices in clinical care. Institute principals also collaborate with researchers beyond Cleveland, lending expertise in complex analytics that integrate genetic, biomedical and population health data to inform patient and community care.
Dr. Haines serves on multiple advisory councils and is on the editorial board or reviews for numerous journals. Among his current appointments: NIH’s National Advisory Council for Human Genome Research, the Scientific Advisory Panel to NIH’s National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) Genome Sequencing Program, Board of Directors for the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), and Executive Committee of the Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project, supported by NIH’s National Institute on Aging. Among the journal editorial boards on which he serves are Neurogenetics, Human Molecular Genetics, and Nature Genomic Medicine.
Dr. Haines has held many academic appointments, beginning his early career at Harvard Medical School. He was a Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine with joint appointments in several departments, including as Chief of the Division of Human Genomics, and founding director of the Center for Human Genetics Research. His academic appointments in addition to serving as Chair of the Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine include professorships with the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences and the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, as well as an appointment with the Lerner Research Institute at Cleveland Clinic.
Dana Crawford, PhD
DMSC Co-Investigator
Liangliang Zhang, PhD
DMSC Co-Investigator
Dr. Liangliang Zhang
Assistant Professor, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, School of Medicine
Member, Immune Oncology Program, Case Comprehensive Cancer
Dr. Zhang’s research interests center around Bayesian inference and prediction, high dimensional models, and complex structured data, such as brain imaging and metagenomic data.
He works closely with biostatisticians and clinicians on linking quantitative microbiome profiling from different body sites (gut, oral, tumor, urine, etc.) to cancer-related disease outcomes and investigating how the microbiota can influence the outcome of cancer immunotherapy.
He has broad computational expertise in analyzing and modeling across data types and studies and focuses on developing quantitative methods and bioinformatic tools to identify biomarkers that can be used in specific immunotherapy or treatment design. He has developed Bayesian zero-constrained regression modeling with structured priors for microbiome feature selection. That work was featured in a study recently published in Biometrics. He also has developed progressive permutation for multiple testing problems. That work was recently published in BMC Bioinformatics.
Dr. Zhang has extensive experience in collaborating with medical researchers from different biomedical fields, resulting in publications and abstracts accepted to journals such as Cell, Science, Cancer, and Scientific Reports, among others.
He supports and collaborates in study planning and develops data-driven, intelligent and user-friendly bioinformatics that identify important signals essential in generating quantitative insights.
Follow Dr. Zhang on Twitter @lyonszhang
Professional Memberships
American Statistical Association (ASA)
International Biometric Society, Eastern North American Region
International Society for Bayesian Analysis
International Chinese Statistical Association
Education
PhD Statistics Michigan State University 2017
Master of Science Statistics Michigan State University 2015
Master of Science Applied Mathematics Soochow University 2012
Bachelor of Science Statistics Nanjing University of Posts and Telecoms 2009
Residencies, Internships and Fellowships
Postdoctoral Scholar University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center 2021
Audrey Lynn, PhD
Project Manager
Mark Beno
CICB Director
Beverly Koepf
Data Manager
Sunah Song, PhD
Data Manager
Bob Lanese
Data Architect
Data Management & Statistics Core
The Data Management and Statistics Core (DMSC) supports CADRC researchers by securely collecting, managing, analyzing, and interpreting large, complex datasets—including clinical, demographic, biomarker, imaging, genetic, and longitudinal data. The DMSC maintains a secure research environment (SRE) with controlled access and controls that meet HIPAA, FISMA, and SANS/ISO standards.
The DMSC facilitates data sharing across CADRC cores and institutions, and regularly transfers appropriate data to the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC) through secure protocols. It also provides expertise in study design, biostatistics, and data analysis, including clinical trial design, data modeling, data mining, and genomic analysis.
Dana Crawford, PhD
DMSC Co-Investigator
Audrey Lynn, PhD
Project Manager
Mark Beno
CICB Director
Beverly Koepf
Data Manager
Sunah Song, PhD
Data Manager
Bob Lanese
Data Architect
Neuropathology Core
The Neuropathology Core (NPC) coordinates autopsies for CADRC participants and oversees the diagnostic evaluation, storage, and distribution of fixed and frozen brain tissue. Neuropathology examines nervous system tissue to identify the cellular and molecular changes underlying diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Based at Case Western Reserve University within the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center (NPDPSC), the NPC brings extensive experience in autopsy coordination and tissue handling. The team works with the Clinical Core to enroll brain donors, support families through the autopsy process, and ensure tissues are tested and diagnosed using NIA-AA criteria.
Mark L. Cohen, MD
Neuropathology Core Leader (Co-Director, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center)
Mark L. Cohen, MD
Co-Director, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center
Professor of Pathology and Neurology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
After graduating from Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences and Medical School, Dr. Cohen became board-certified in Anatomic, Clinical, and Neuropathology at University Hospitals of Cleveland, where he is now Professor of Pathology and Neurology as well as Co-Director of the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center. He has extensive experience evaluating and characterizing neurodegenerative pathology. He has a special interest in prion disease and rpAD.
Dr. Cohen has broad experience in neuroanatomy, immunohistochemistry, and neurochemistry with over 30 years of experience in the neuropathology of neurodegenerative disorders. He will oversee all activities of the Neuropathology Core (NPC) and will be responsible for all histological & immunohistochemical evaluation of brain samples in the NPC of CADRC. He will analyze all neurohistological and immunohistochemical stains, and will review all tissue sections used for publications.
Brian S. Appleby, MD
Neuropathology Core Co-Leader (Director, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center)
Brian S. Appleby, MD
Director, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center
Professor of Neurology,
Psychiatry and Pathology,
Case Western Reserve University
Medical Director, CJD Foundation
Chair, Professional Advisory Board, Cleveland Alzheimer’s Association
Dr. Appleby is a Professor of Neurology, Psychiatry, and Pathology at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Appleby received a B.A. in biology and philosophy from Goucher College and a M.D. from Georgetown University School of Medicine. He completed a psychiatry residency and geriatric psychiatry fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He currently serves as the Director of the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center, as Medical Director of the CJD Foundation, and Chair of the Cleveland Alzheimer’s Association Chapter’s Professional Advisory Board. He sees patients at University Hospitals Foley Elderhealth Center.
His research and clinical interests include young onset and atypical dementias, specifically prion diseases and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Dr. Appleby has several projects examining the clinical and translational aspects of prion diseases. In particular, he is interested in improving diagnosis, developing diagnostic tests and biomarkers, and surveilling for novel prion diseases (e.g., possible chronic wasting disease in humans). He is also a site principle investigator for Advancing Research and Treatment for Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (ARTFL), a multisite study for clinical research in frontotemporal lobar degeneration.
Katie Glisic
Administrative Lead
Danielle Jordan
Autopsy Coordinator
Meghan Lewis
Autopsy Coordinator
Lateefa Russell
Histology
Gabby Delprete
Tissue Coordinator
Aaron Koeth
Autopsy Prosector
Neuropathology Core
The Neuropathology Core (NPC) coordinates autopsies for CADRC participants and oversees the diagnostic evaluation, storage, and distribution of fixed and frozen brain tissue. Neuropathology examines nervous system tissue to identify the cellular and molecular changes underlying diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Based at Case Western Reserve University within the National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center (NPDPSC), the NPC brings extensive experience in autopsy coordination and tissue handling. The team works with the Clinical Core to enroll brain donors, support families through the autopsy process, and ensure tissues are tested and diagnosed using NIA-AA criteria.
Mark L. Cohen, MD
Neuropathology Core Leader (Co-Director, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center)
Brian S. Appleby, MD
Neuropathology Core Co-Leader (Director, National Prion Disease Pathology Surveillance Center)
Katie Glisic
Administrative Lead
Danielle Jordan
Autopsy Coordinator
Meghan Lewis
Autopsy Coordinator
Lateefa Russell
Histology
Gabby Delprete
Tissue Coordinator
Aaron Koeth
Autopsy Prosector
Neuroimaging Core
The Neuroimaging Core (NIC) conducts advanced MRI and PET scans to generate high-quality imaging data for ADRD biomarker research. Imaging is acquired at Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals using 3T and 7T MRI and PET scanners.
The NIC works with the Clinical Core to enroll participants, collaborates with the Neuropathology Core on post-mortem ultra-high-field MRI, and provides imaging analysis and infrastructure to other CADRC cores and ADRD researchers locally, nationally, and through NACC.
Mark J. Lowe, PhD
Core Leader
Mark J. Lowe, PhD
Director, High Field MRI
Section Head, Imaging Sciences Section, Imaging Institute, Cleveland Clinic
Professor of Radiology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Dr. Lowe received his PhD in high-energy physics from the University of Minnesota. In 1994, he joined the University of Wisconsin-Madison as a post-doctoral fellow in MRI physics. Dr. Lowe joined the Imaging Institute of Cleveland Clinic in 2003 as the Director of High-Field MRI. He is Professor of Radiology and heads the Imaging Sciences section of the Imaging Institute. Dr. Lowe’s research interests are developing MRI-based techniques to study brain network connectivity and the application of those methods to both basic neuroscience as well as clinical research.
Frank DiFilippo, PhD
Core Co-Leader
Frank DiFilippo, PhD
Staff, Director of Nuclear Imaging Physics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cleveland Clinic
Professor of Radiology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Dr. DiFilippo is a physics graduate of Case Western Reserve University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After working in industry, he joined the Cleveland Clinic in 2002 as a clinical nuclear medicine physicist. Among many topics, his research has included characterizing the performance of PET and SPECT imaging systems and exploring their limits of spatial resolution. He serves as principal investigator of a micro-PET/CT instrument funded by a recent NIH S10 grant award.
As co-leader of the Neuroimaging Core, Dr. DiFilippo directs the acquisition and data analysis of PET imaging for the Cleveland Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (CADRC). One goal of PET imaging is to quantify the accumulation of Ab-amyloid protein in the brain. These data will be used by the CADRC team to more accurately study the progression and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Rasim Boyacıoğlu, PhD
Co-Investigator
Mark Griswold, PhD
Co-Investigator
Kedar Mahajan, PhD
Co-Investigator
Stephen Jones, MD, PhD
Co-Investigator
Ken Sakaie, PhD
Co-Investigator
Wanyong Shin, PhD
Co-Investigator
Jian Lin
Image Analyst
Sally Durgerian
Image Analyst
David Russo
Grants Manager
Neuroimaging Core
The Neuroimaging Core (NIC) conducts advanced MRI and PET scans to generate high-quality imaging data for ADRD biomarker research. Imaging is acquired at Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals using 3T and 7T MRI and PET scanners.
The NIC works with the Clinical Core to enroll participants, collaborates with the Neuropathology Core on post-mortem ultra-high-field MRI, and provides imaging analysis and infrastructure to other CADRC cores and ADRD researchers locally, nationally, and through NACC.
Rasim Boyacıoğlu, PhD
Co-Investigator
Mark Griswold, PhD
Co-Investigator
Kedar Mahajan, PhD
Co-Investigator
Stephen Jones, MD, PhD
Co-Investigator
Ken Sakaie, PhD
Co-Investigator
Wanyong Shin, PhD
Co-Investigator
Jian Lin
Image Analyst
Sally Durgerian
Image Analyst
David Russo
Grants Manager
Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core
The Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core (OREC) connects the CADRC with people affected by Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (ADRD), their care partners, and the community. OREC recruits and retains participants—especially those at higher risk or from genetically distinct groups—to improve understanding of AD/ADRD.
The Core builds a volunteer pool, leads community outreach and education, partners with local organizations, and works with the Community Advisory Board (CAB) to engage high-risk communities, reduce stigma, and support early care.
Email: contact@clevelandadrc.org
Martha Sajatovic, MD
Core Leader
Martha Sajatovic, MD
Director, Neurological and Behavioral Outcomes Center, Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Willard Brown Chair, Neurological Outcomes, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Dr. Sajatovic is Professor of Psychiatry and of Neurology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a researcher, educator, and clinician who has devoted herself to the study and treatment of traditionally hard-to-treat populations with central nervous system disorders. Dr. Sajatovic holds the Willard Brown Chair in Neurological Outcomes at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (UHCMC) and directs the Neurological and Behavioral Outcomes Center at UHCMC/CWRU. She has subspecialty certification in Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry.
Dr. Sajatovic’s research interests have focused on neuropsychiatric outcomes of brain disorders including Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, stroke, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease. She also has research interests in self-management of chronic health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, in health disparities and in health rating scales used in clinical trials. Over the last two decades, Dr. Sajatovic has been the recipient of multiple research grants including support from the National Institute of Aging (NIA), National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Ohio Department of Mental Health (ODMH), the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) as well as a variety of private foundations, and industry-sponsored clinical trials.
Dr. Sajatovic has published widely on treatments and health services delivery as well as in the area of treatment adherence and health promotion in a variety of CNS disorders. She has authored or co-authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications, and has published over 40 book chapters or books on neuropsychiatric topics.
Dr. Sajatovic has been a guest lecturer at numerous academic and community settings, both on a national and international level, including speaking to consumer and family advocacy groups for individuals with psychiatric illness. Dr. Sajatovic has been a recipient of the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award bestowed by the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), was a Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) 2006 Gerald Klerman Investigator Award winner in 2006 and in 2016 and in 2018 received the Rebecca Goldberg Kaufman American Epilepsy Society (AES) Clinical Award in Ethical Neuropsychiatry.
Jaclene A. Zauszniewski, PhD
Co-Investigator
Jaclene A. Zauszniewski, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN
Professor, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
Catherine Seibyl Professor in Nursing, Research and Caregiving, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing
Secondary Faculty, Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
Teaching Information
Teaching Interests
Psychiatric Nursing
Research Design and Methods
Research Information
Research Interests
Family Caregivers of Persons with Serious Mental Illness (Bipolar Disorder and Depression), and Dementia
Promoting Resourcefulness in Maintaining Health and Functioning of Elders and Grandmothers
Instrument Development and Psychometrics
Intervention Development: Resourcefulness Training and Self-management,
Preventing and Treating Stress and Depression across the Life Span
Research Projects
Research
Principal Investigator, “Self-management interventions: Considering needs and preferences of dementia caregivers,” National Institute of Nursing Research (2020-2024), R01-NR8476;3
Principal Investigator, “Tailored Health Self-Management Interventions for Highly Distressed Family Caregivers,“ National Institute of Nursing Research (2016-2022), R01-NR6817.
Co-investigator, “GIFT web-based resourcefulness training for grandmother caregivers. (Musil, C., Principal Investigator), National Institute of Nursing Research (2016-2020), R01-NR5999.
Co-investigator, “Resourcefulness intervention for mothers of technology-dependent children (Toly, V., Principal Investigator), National Institute of Nursing Research (2016-2020), R15NR017302
Principal Investigator, “Teaching Resourcefulness to Women Caregivers of Elders with Dementia,” National Institute of Nursing Research (2009-2012), R21-NR0368.
Principal Investigator, “Promoting Resourcefulness in Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren.” National Institute of Nursing Research (2007-2010), R21-NR0581.
Co-investigator, “Grandmothers and Transitions (Musil, C.M., Principal investigator), National Institute of Nursing Research (2006-2010), R01-NR015999-02
Principal Investigator, “Cardiovascular Responses in Black Female Caregivers,” National Institute of Nursing Research, National Institutes of Health (1999-2001), R01 NR4290.
Principal Investigator, “Teaching Resourcefulness to Chronically Ill Older Adults,” National Institute of Nursing Research (1998-2003), R01NR4428.
Principal Investigator, “Social Cognitive Factors Affecting the Health of Elders,” National Institute of Aging (1998-1999), R03-AG6469.
Awards and Honors
Psychiatric Nurse of the Year 2017 American Psychiatric Nurses Association
Distinguished Contribution to Nursing in the Midwest 2016 Midwest Nursing Research Society
Inductee International Nurse Researcher Hall of Fame 2019 Sigma Theta Tau International
Distinguished Faculty Research Award 2020 Case Western Reserve University
Living Legend 2022 International Society for Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing
Publications
Recent (Selected First-Authored) Publications
Zauszniewski, J. A., Burant, C. J., Lekhak, N., Herbell, K., Badr, H. A., & Martin, R. J. (2022). Development and Testing of a Spiritual Resourcefulness Scale: Holistic Expansion in Operationalizing the Resourcefulness Construct. Journal of Holistic Nursing , 40(1), 7-15. https://doi.org/10.1177/08980101211025370
Zauszniewski, J. A., Burant, C. J., Martin, R. J., Sweetko, J. S., & DiFranco, E. (2022). Caregivers’ Use of Personal and Social Resourcefulness: Differences by Care Recipient Condition. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 44(3), 288-295. https://doi.org/10.1177/01939459211050951
Zauszniewski, J. A., Lekhak, N., Herbell, K., & Badr, H. (2021). Caregivers of Persons with Diverse Health Conditions: Demographics and Burden of Care. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 43(4), 316–322. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193945920948469
Zauszniewski, J. A., Herbell, K., Lekhak, N., & Badr, H. (2021). Differences among Caregivers on Coping Resources and Mental Health. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 42(3), 280–286. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2020.1800876
Zauszniewski, J.A., & Burant, C.J. (2020). Resourcefulness as a mediator of the effects of dementia symptoms and caregiver reactions on caregiver mental health. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 41(6), 486-493. https://doi.org/10.1080/01612840.2019.1693670
Zauszniewski, J.A., Herbell, K., Burant, C. (2019). Is there more to resourcefulness than personal and social skills? Western Journal of Nursing Research, 41(3), 372-387. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193945918790930
Zauszniewski, J.A., Bekhet, A.K., & Herbell, K. (2018). Comprehensive evaluation of interventions: Eight vital parameters. Nurse Researcher, 12(3), 20-23. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr.2018.e1603
Zauszniewski, J.A., Musil, C.M., & Lekhak, N. (2018, in press). Caregiver Reactions to Dementia Symptoms: Effects on Coping Repertoire and Mental Health. Issues in Mental Health Nursing.
Zauszniewski, J.A., Musil, C.M., Herbell, K., & Givens, S. (2017). Biofeedback in Grandmothers Raising Grandchildren: Evaluating Intervention Parameters. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 38(6), 493-499.
Zauszniewski, J.A. (2017). Concerns with construct validity [editorial]. Journal of Nursing Measurement, 25(1), 1-2
Zauszniewski, J.A. (2016). Resourcefulness: Current state of the science [editorial]. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 38(12), 1551-1553.
Zauszniewski, J. A., Lekhak, N., Burant, C. J., Underwood, P. W., & Morris, D. L. (2016). Resourcefulness Training for dementia caregivers: Establishing fidelity. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 38(12), 1554-1573.
Zauszniewski, J.A., Lekhak, N., Burant, C., Variath, M., & Morris, D. (2016). Preliminary evidence for effectiveness of resourcefulness training for women dementia caregivers. Journal of Family Medicine, 3(5), 1069 (9 pages).
Zauszniewski, J. A., Lekhak, N., Napoleon, B., & Morris, D. L. (2016). Resourcefulness Training for women dementia caregivers: Acceptability and feasibility of two methods. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 37(4), 249-256.
Zauszniewski, J.A., Musil, C.M., & Variath, M. (2015). Effects of biofeedback on stress, emotions, and cognitions in grandmothers: Correlations between subjective and objective measures. Biofeedback, 43(4), 193-199.
Zauszniewski, J.A. (2016). Measures of mental health for diverse populations [editorial]. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 30(4), 449.
Zauszniewski, J.A., Lekhak, N., Au, T.Y., Yolpant, W., & Morris, D.L., (2015). Need for resourcefulness training for women caregivers of elders with dementia. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 36(12), 1007-1012.
Zauszniewski, J.A., & Musil, C.M. (2014). Interventions for grandmothers: Comparative effectiveness of resourcefulness training, HRV biofeedback, and journaling. Biofeedback, 42(3), 121-129.Zauszniewski, J.A., & Bekhet, A.K., (2014). Factors associated with emotional distress of women family members of adults with serious mental illness. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 28(2), 102-107.
Zauszniewski, J.A., Musil, C.M., Au, T.Y., Burant, C.J., & Standing, T.S. (2014). Resourcefulness training for grandmothers raising grandchildren: Establishing fidelity. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 36(2), 228-244.
Zauszniewski, J.A., Musil, C.M., Burant, C.J., & Au, T.Y. (2014). Evidence for preliminary effectiveness of resourcefulness training interventions for grandmothers raising grandchildren. Research in Nursing and Health, 37(1), 42-52.
Zauszniewski, J.A., Au, T.Y., & Musil, C.M. (2013). Heart rate variability biofeedback in grandmothers raising grandchildren: Effects on stress, emotions, and cognitions. Biofeedback, 41(3), 144-149.
Zauszniewski, J.A., Musil, C.M., & Au, T.Y. (2013). Resourcefulness training for grandmothers raising grandchildren: Acceptability and feasibility of two methods. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 34(6), 435-441.
Zauszniewski, J.A., Au, T.Y., & Musil, C.M. (2012). Resourcefulness training for grandmothers raising grandchildren: Is there a need? Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 33(10), 680-686.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy Nursing Case Western Reserve University
Master of Science in Nursing Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Case Western Reserve University
Master of Arts Human Services/Counseling John Carroll University
Bachelor of Arts Psychology/Interpersonal Communication Cleveland State University
Registered Nurse St. Alexis Hospital School of Nursing
Certificate in Biofeedback Training Biofeedback Training Institute/Stens Corporation
Certificate in Catholic Studies Newman Theological College
Certificate in Pastoral Care Newman Theological College
Additional Information
Certification
Certification / Re-certification as Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse, American Nurses’ Association, 2021
Copyrighted Works
Depressive Cognition Scale (1995)
Resourcefulness Training Intervention (1995, revised 2006)
Resourcefulness and Quality of Life Theory (2006, revised 2017)
Resourcefulness Scale (2006)
Resourcefulness Skills Scale (2011)
Intervention Parameters Model (2007, revised 2018)
Jessica Surdam
Project Manager
Edna Fuentes-Casiano
Outreach Coordinator
Valerie Vinson
Clinical Research Navigator
Jacki Whitlow, RN
Outreach Nurse
Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core
The Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core (OREC) connects the CADRC with people affected by Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (ADRD), their care partners, and the community. OREC recruits and retains participants—especially those at higher risk or from underrepresented and genetically distinct groups—to improve understanding of AD/ADRD.
The Core builds a volunteer pool, leads community outreach and education, partners with local organizations, and works with the Community Advisory Board (CAB) to engage high-risk communities, reduce stigma, and support early care.
Email: contact@clevelandadrc.org
Jessica Surdam
Project Manager
Edna Fuentes-Casiano
Outreach Coordinator
Valerie Vinson
Clinical Research Navigator
Jacki Whitlow, RN
Outreach Nurse
Research Education Component
The Research Education Component (REC) supports ADRD research and training across the Cleveland area, working with other CADRC cores and local institutions to provide extensive educational resources. A key initiative is the REC Scholar Program, which pairs early-stage investigators with CADRC mentors for hands-on research, grant development, specialized training, and clinical observation—building a strong pipeline of future ADRD researchers.
The REC also fosters collaboration within and beyond the CADRC to advance health services and translational neurobehavioral research that impacts the local community and the broader field.
Please contact the REC administrator REC@ClevelandADRC.org for more information.
Xiongwei Zhu, PhD
REC Leader
Xiongwei Zhu, PhD
Professor of Pathology and Neurology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Director, Graduate Program, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
Director, NIH-Sponsored Neurodegenerative Disease T32 Training Grantd.
Dr. Zhu is Professor of Pathology and of Neurology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (CWRU) in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a researcher, and educator who has devoted himself to the study of pathogenic mechanism underlying Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegenerative diseases. He is the Director of Pathology Graduate Program at Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, CWRU and Director of NIH-sponsored Neurodegenerative Disease T32 Training Grant.
Dr. Zhu’s research interests have focused on oxidative stress signaling and mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (ADRD). During the last two decades, he maintains a competitive research program that has been continuously funded by National Institute on Aging (NIA) and National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). He has also been the recipient of multiple research grants including support from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Alzheimer’s Association, as well as a variety of private foundations, and industry-sponsored grants.
Dr. Zhu has devoted large efforts in research education and has mentored numerous trainees at different levels from undergraduate students, graduate students, medical students to postdoctoral and junior faculty. He has published extensively with his trainees. He has authored or co-authored over 280 peer-reviewed publications on ADRD related topics.
Dr. Zhu has been a guest lecturer at numerous academic and community settings, both on a national and international level. He is an active editorial member for more than ten reputable international journals in the field of neuroscience and neurodegeneration and is currently Deputy Chief Editor for Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Journal of Neurochemistry. He routinely reviews grant applications for National Institute of Health (NIH), NASA, Veteran Health Administration (VA), Department of Defense (DOD) and other national and international funding organizations.
Andrew Pieper, MD, PhD
Co-Investigator
Feixiong Cheng, PhD
Co-Investigator
Babak Tousi, MD
Co-Investigator
Sandy Torres
REC Coordinator
REC Scholars 2026
Ben Clayton, PhD
Ben Clayton, PhD Case Western Reserve University
Dr. Clayton is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences and at the Institute for Glial Sciences. His goal is to establish a robust research program that uncovers fundamental truths about the role of glial cells in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. He hopes to contribute to the development of improved medicines that positively impact patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
Carol Chan, MD
Carol Chan, MD Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Chan is an Assistant Professor of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. She is interested in health and research inequities in dementia and understanding challenges related to social determinants of health. Through her research, she hopes to identify actionable items and intervention strategies especially related to structural and social factors to improve the referral, screening, and retention processes of CADRC to achieve a more representative study cohort to ensure that future research is generalizable to the US population.
Di Hu, PhD
Di Hu, PhD Case Western Reserve University
Dr. Hu is a Research Scientist in the Department of Physiology & Biophysics. His research has focused on exploring the gastrointestinal (GI) tract to investigate the connection between the gut and the brain. His long-term research goal is to characterize the vicious cycle between GI dysfunction and brain damage in neurodegenerative diseases and determine the role of intestinal mitochondria in health and disease.
Nikhil Panicker, PhD
Nikhil Panicker, PhD
Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Panicker is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurosciences at the Lerner Research Institute. His lab investigates the molecular mechanisms that drive pathology in Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB), Parkinson’s Disease (PD), and Alzheiemer’s Disease (AD). Their long-term goal is to leverage their findings to develop therapeutics that block or slow the progression of neurodegenerative disease.
Fanpeng Zhao, PhD
Fanpeng Zhao PhD Case Western Reserve University
Dr. Zhao is an Instructor of Pathology in the research field of Neurodegeneration. His goal is to clarify how m6A dysregulation affects Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) risk gene expression and neuroinflammation during disease progression in AD models. Through his research, he hopes to validate if the restoration of m6A dynamics may be applied as a therapeutic strategy in AD treatment.
Dr. Zhao was awarded an NIH R21 (R21AG086850) grant in September 2024 on “Dysregulation of amyloid-β metabolism by impaired METTL3-m6A signaling in Alzheimer’s Disease”. R21 is a prestigious Exploratory/Developmental Grant for two years provided by the National Institutes of Health to support investigator-initiated health-related research.
Dr Zhao was awarded an NIH R03 (R03AG085267) grant in June 2025 on “Tau regulation by METTL14-mediated RNA m6A modification in Pick’s disease”. R03 is a smaller, well-defined research project for two years provided by the National Institutes of Health to support investigator-initiated health-related research.
REC Alumni – 2024
Tian Liu, PhD
Tian Liu, PhD Case Western Reserve University (2022-2024)
Dr. Liu, an Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve University, investigated the therapeu–tic role of mitochondria-associated proteins in Ab pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). He developed small molecules targeting mitochondria protein and tested them in animal models of AD and human AD iPSC-induced neurons.
He was awarded his first NIH R01 (R01AG086365) grant in August 2024 on “Protective Role of Mitochondrial CHCHD10 in Alzheimer’s Disease through MAM and Mitophagy Mechanisms”. R01 is a prestigious research project Grant for five years provided by the National Institutes of Health to support investigator-initiated health-related research.
In August 2024, Dr. Liu was also awarded an NIH R03 (R03AG084948) grant on “Pathogenic Role of APP E590D in Alzheimer’s Disease”. R03 is a smaller, well-defined research project for two years provided by the National Institutes of Health to support investigator-initiated health-related research.
Wasiu Balogun, PhD
Wasiu Balogun, Ph.D. Case Western Reserve University (2022-2024)
Dr. Balogun was a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Department of Neuroscience at CWRU. His supported project focuses on Inflammation-associated synapse loss gated by the neuronal kinase DLK. In 2024, Dr. Balogun was relocated to University of Pittsburgh aa a postdoctoral researcher.
Ajay Nemani, PhD
Ajay Nemani, PhD Cleveland Clinic (2022-2024)
Dr. Nemani used resting state fMRI to explore novel biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease, including new approaches for brain parcellation, network analysis, and modeling. In addition, he developed protocols to collect some of the first ultrahigh field (7T MRI) functional neuroimaging data on AD patients, evaluating its feasibility for wider studies.
REC Alumni – 2022
Katherine Koenig, PhD
Katherine Koenig, PhD Cleveland Clinic (2019-2022)
Dr. Koenig is an assistant professor studying the longitudinal evaluation of neuroimaging and cognitive function in Down syndrome. Her main research focus is bringing subjects back for longitudinal visits.
Karin Mente, MD
Karin Mente, MD
Dr. Mente’s research focused on MRI, especially diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). She was also introduced to neuropathology methods. Dr. Mente’s current research interests are at the crossroads of MRI and neuropathology.
Min-Kyoo Shin, PhD
Min-Kyoo Shin, PhD
Dr. Shin characterized the function of 19 tau acetylation sites on microtubule binding, tau seeding activity, extracellular tau secretion, tau phosphorylation, tau stability related to ubiquitination, susceptibility to cell death in an in vitro model of traumatic brain injury, and alteration in tau binding partners.
Dr. Shin received a Peer Reviewed Alzheimer’s Research Program Convergence Science Research Award (AZ210092, GRANT13428544) from Department of Defense in 2022
In September 2022, he relocated to National Seoul University in Seoul, South Korea. He received multiple grants from National Research Foundation of Korea (RS-2023-00209597, RS-2024-00352229, RS-2024-00440679,and RS-2024-00466703) to continue his research in AD/ADRD field. He continues to collaborate with CADRC.
Wenzhang Wang, PhD
Wenzhang Wang, PhD
Dr. Wang pursued abnormal mitochondrial translation in Alzheimer’s disease. Preliminary data suggested the changes of mitochondrial DNA coded proteins at protein levels and importantly, the assembly of mitochondrial ribosome were shown impaired in AD neurons.
Dr Wang was awarded his first NIH R01 (R01AG076917) grant in July 2022 on “Abnormal mitochondrial-endolysosomal contacts in AD”. R01 is a prestigious research project Grant for five years provided by the National Institutes of Health to support investigator-initiated health-related research.
Dr. Wang has served as Director of Neurodegeneration Journal Club, a critical training program for REC scholars, since 2023. Additionally, as course co-Director, in 2023 he developed a new course of PATH555 Advanced Topics of Neurodegeneration, a course critical for REC Scholar training.
REC Alumni – 2021
Ignazio Cali, PhD
Ignazio Cali, PhD
Dr. Cali’s research focused on elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the phenotypic expression of prion disease (PrD), Alzheimer’s disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy pathology. In collaboration with the NPDPSC and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Cali is actively involved in several studies aimed at identifying atypical or novel prion disease phenotypes
Dr. Cali was awarded an NIH K99 (K99AG068359) grant in September 2020 on “Conformational properties of misfolded protein aggregates in cases involving the co-occurrence of prion disease and Alzehimer’s disease or prion disease and CTE”. The NIH Pathway to Independence Award (K99/R00) is a grant program designed to support outstanding postdoctoral researchers in transitioning to independent faculty positions.
He was promoted to Assistant Professor and started his independent lab at CWRU with NIH R00 (R00AG068359) grant support in July 2022. In 2023, he was awarded a research grant from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease foundation in 2023.
Dr. Cali has relocated to Kore University in Enna, Italy. He remains in the AD/ADRD research field and continues to collaborate with CADRC.
Jagan Pillai, MD, PhD
Jagan A. Pillai, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor, Neurology Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University Neurologist, Cleveland Clinic Administrative Core Leader, Clinical Core Co-Leader
Dr. Jagan Pillai is a Board-Certified Neurologist, Diplomate in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry and holds the Iversen Family Endowed Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease Research at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Pillai received his PhD at Northwestern University, IL and completed his neurology residency training at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, NY and his fellowship training at the University of California San Diego, CA. Dr. Pillai has extensive experience in the characterization of cognitive, and behavioral changes among neurodegenerative disease subjects. He has expertise in methods for studying and modeling clinical heterogeneity, particularly with respect to biomarkers and clinical outcomes. He serves on the board of directors and the professional advisory board of the Cleveland chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. He serves as an Associate editor at ‘Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy’ and as dementia section editor for ‘Current Treatment Options in Neurology’. Currently, he is the principal investigator for studies funded by the Department of Defense, Foundation grants and the National Institute of Health.
Can you please tell me about your role in the CADRC?
I am a cognitive neurologist at the Center for Brain Health, which means I primarily see patients with cognitive problems and try to understand why they have them, whether it is from medical conditions or neurological changes. I also conduct translational research, trying to see how best to care for these patients going forward. Combining these roles, I have two complimentary positions in the ADRC. I am a clinician at the clinical core which means we do evaluations of people coming into the ADRC, as well as a scholar in the Research Education Committee (REC), where the goal is to develop research skills for the next generation of researchers in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).
Can you please tell me what key questions your research is intended to answer?
My clinical research is driven by impressions I have gathered of the patients I see. One of the key questions I deal with as a clinician is why everyone with a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s does not behave the same way. Some people have a very fast progression of the disease, within a year or two of onset, however other people have a very slow progression, where changes happen over 12-15 years. My primary focus of the last five years has been understanding why this happens and if the immune system is one factor driving this difference in progression. My second focus deals with the different phenotypes and characteristics of patients with the disease. Some people with AD present primarily with memory problems, which is commonly known. But other times people with AD can also present with language problems, difficulty seeing things clearly, spatial problems, or behavioral issues. These specific skills involve different parts of the brain, so the question is why are some people more prone to memory problems over other conditions. Presumably they all have the same underlying AD pathology with amyloid and tau protein accumulation in the brain, so why is there so much variation among our patients? The latter project is being pursued through the ADRC in trying to understand if there are differences in the pathological protein expressed in these patients with different clinical presentations and understanding their genetic characteristics.
How did you get interested in dementia research?
My drive had been in trying to understand why people are different in the way they think and what they understand. That question has morphed into trying to understand how people with the same kind of brain pathology can be very different in their presentation and how can you best help them. The bottom line is I feel people are very unique in their capabilities, so neurodegenerative diseases affect them in a very specific way. Understanding what is so special about each person can allow us to help them in the best way possible rather than having a generic solution.
What do you think has been most helpful to your career so far?
Most helpful to my career was the advice I received from one of my mentors when I was just starting my research over twelve years ago. It is important to pick an area of interest that you can use all of your skill sets and really grow from. I trained primarily in neurophysiology and clinic neurology, but now my work is mostly in proteomics and genomics and that came through from following my research questions and from such advice.
Specific to the ADRC, what do you think has been helpful to your research?
Having the ADRC in Cleveland focuses the energy of a large group of talented clinicians and researchers and allows us to cooperate much more effectively than we would have done by ourselves.
What does the future of dementia research look like to you?
I think we will have a clearer way of treating and improving the quality of life in patients before they develop dementia. I also believe there will be a lot of focus on developing a very targeted treatment plan for each person.
Is there anything you would like to add?
One of the things that I’ve seen in the field of neurodegenerative diseases is there is a lot of energy and excitement surrounding it. Often, the public feels there have been a lot of failures with therapies for Alzheimer’s, but as researchers trying to understand the disease, our understanding has grown by leaps and bounds. I feel like this has been a very positive development in the field.
Research Education Component
The Research Education Component (REC) supports ADRD research and training across the Cleveland area, working with other CADRC cores and local institutions to provide extensive educational resources. A key initiative is the REC Scholar Program, which pairs early-stage investigators with CADRC mentors for hands-on research, grant development, specialized training, and clinical observation—building a strong pipeline of future ADRD researchers.
The REC also fosters collaboration within and beyond the CADRC to advance health services and translational neurobehavioral research that impacts the local community and the broader field.
Please contact the REC administrator REC@ClevelandADRC.org for more information.
Andrew Pieper, MD, PhD
Co-Investigator
Feixiong Cheng, PhD
Co-Investigator
Babak Tousi, MD
Co-Investigator
Sandy Torres
REC Coordinator
REC Scholars 2026
REC Alumni – 2024
REC Alumni – 2022
REC Alumni – 2021
CADRC Academic Ambassadors
The CADRC Academic Ambassador Program allows students to support the Center’s mission while learning about Alzheimer’s disease research. Ambassadors represent the CADRC in the Greater Cleveland community, complete required training, identify community needs, provide feedback on dementia-related services, and assist with social media and outreach. They regularly attend meetings, participate in events, and—when permitted—observe clinical research visits, consent processes, and imaging procedures.
To be considered for the position or if you need more information, please call (216) 844-2104 or contact one of our outreach coordinators: Edna.Fuente-Casiano@uhhospitals.org.
Salayna Abdallah
Salayna Abdallah
Salayna is a Clinical Psychology PhD student at Kent State University and works as a research assistant at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center. She began the CADRC Academic Ambassador Program in August 2022.
Why she joined the program: “The CADRC’s mission is deeply meaningful to me, as my grandmother passed away from Alzheimer’s disease many years ago. Alzheimer’s affects so many individuals and their loved ones, and being part of such a supportive and passionate team—while meeting amazing community members at events, all of whom share the goal of making a difference in the fight against this disease—is truly a privilege.”
Owen Emch
Owen Emch
Owen is an undergraduate at Case Western Reserve University. He started the CADRC Academic Ambassador Program during the 2024-2025 academic year.
Why he joined the program: “This project is important because Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease that affects too many people in our communities and the U.S. as a whole. The more research that we can accomplish, the closer we are to curing this disease.”
Hiya Kachhawa
Hiya Kachhawa
Hiya is junior at Case Western Reserve University, double majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology. She also works as an undergraduate research assistant in a Cleveland Clinic Neuroscience lab that focuses primarily on Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease research. She joined the CADRC Academic Ambassador Program in March 2025
Why she joined the program: “This work is deeply meaningful to me because it allows me to bridge my passion for neuroscience with real community impact. While shadowing and meeting patients with Alzheimer’s disease and their families, I witnessed firsthand how challenging it can be for people to receive help early enough and how far we still have to go in improving awareness and access to care. These experiences inspired me to help promote education, early detection, and participation in research so that future patients and families can receive the support they need sooner.”
Justin Lee
Justin Lee
Justin is a sophomore at Case Western University majoring in psychology on the pre-med track. He started the CADRC Academic Ambassador Program in August 2025
Why he joined the program: “This project is important to me because my great-grandmother passed away from dementia. Watching how the disease affected her memory and independence left a deep impact on me and my family. It inspired me to learn more about Alzheimer’s and dementia and to get involved in any way I can to help raise awareness, support research, and contribute to finding better treatments and care for those affected.”
Carly Parker
Carly Parker
Carly is a student at Case Western Reserve University and a research assistant in the school of medicine focusing on the underlying mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease. She began the CADRC Academic Ambassador Program in July 2025
Why she joined the program: “The work being done by the CADRC is so important not only because it is contributing to the goal of finding a cure for AD, but also because it’s helping to educate patients and their families.”
Anuj Pullakandam
Anuj Pullakandam
Anuj is a sophomore at Case Western Reserve University studying biology with a minor in chemistry, and is on the pre-med track. He began the CADRC Academic Ambassador Program September 2025.
Why he joined the program: “This project is important to me because I experienced firsthand the challenges that come with Alzheimer’s disease. When my grandfather was diagnosed, I unexpectedly found myself in the role of a caregiver. Watching someone I deeply admired slowly lose parts of his memory and independence was incredibly difficult, but it also opened my eyes to the struggles that so many families face every day. It’s what motivates me to get involved in initiatives like this one, to help others going through similar experiences and to contribute in any way I can.”
Elizabeth Weir
Elizabeth Weir
Elizabeth is a freshman at Case Western Reserve University studying Neuroscience and Cognitive Science and she currently works in a Cleveland Clinic research lab. She joined the CADRC Academic Ambassador Program in March 2025.
Why she joined the program: “Three of my grandparents passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. I was extremely close with them, and witnessing the progression of the disease was extremely difficult for my family and me. I hope to become a medical researcher so that I can help improve treatment and find a cure for Alzheimer’s. I hope to make as meaningful an impact as I can, and the incredible work CADRC does has truly inspired me.”
CADRC Academic Ambassadors
The CADRC Academic Ambassador Program allows students to support the Center’s mission while learning about Alzheimer’s disease research. Ambassadors represent the CADRC in the Greater Cleveland community, complete required training, identify community needs, provide feedback on dementia-related services, and assist with social media and outreach. They regularly attend meetings, participate in events, and—when permitted—observe clinical research visits, consent processes, and imaging procedures.
To be considered for the position or if you need more information, please call (216) 844-2104 or contact one of our outreach coordinators: Edna.Fuente-Casiano@uhhospitals.org.
