Current Trainees
Post-doctoral Fellows:
Kent Lin
Max Stevenson
Pre-doctoral Fellows:
Matt Kiely
My research examines how interpersonal processes change with age, particularly in the context of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease. Using behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging methods, I identify correlates of key social functions such as emotion recognition and regulation. My goal is to uncover the neural mechanisms that support successful social interactions in aging populations and to identify differences linked to impaired socioemotional functioning in neurodegenerative diseases that may disrupt these interactions. Understanding these disruptions is critical, as social difficulties can exacerbate caregiver burden and negatively impact the well-being of both individuals with neurodegeneration and their families.
Phil Pikus
Greta Sten
Kaan Taskintuna
My research focuses on examining the mechanisms behind aging-associated decline in the retina and retinal pigment epithelium. Through utilizing mouse and human cell culture models, the ultimate goal of my work is to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms behind the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is a complex disease that causes irreversible loss of central vision and significant disability to affected individuals. My current projects investigate the interactions between aging, oxidative stress, mitochondrial/metabolic dysfunction, and biological sex (sex hormone and chromosomal effects).