Leadership
The team behind the Alzheimer's Resilience Core
Investigators, clinicians, and staff spanning neuropsychology, neurology, biostatistics, fluid biomarkers, social work, and community outreach — joined by a shared commitment to resilience science and brain healthy aging.
Senior Leadership and Research Faculty
Investigators
Justin B. Miller, PhD
Lab Director
Justin B. Miller, PhD, ABPP/CN is a Professor of Medicine and board-certified clinical neuropsychologist specializing in adult neuropsychology, geropsychology, and rehabilitation psychology. His research focuses on cognitive aging, resilience, and brain health disparities in rural communities and the social determinants of health that influence health outcomes for older adults. He has deep expertise in cognitive assessment and a strong interest in integrating new technologies into clinical care.
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Tom Grabowski, MD
Co-Director
Tom Grabowski, MD, directs the UW Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC), where he leads a precision medicine approach to identifying new therapeutic targets for Alzheimer's disease. As Medical Director of the UW Memory and Brain Wellness Center and a behavioral neurologist, he leads a provider team diagnosing, treating, and supporting patients living with memory loss or dementia. He also directs the UW Integrated Brain Imaging Center (IBIC), using functional and structural brain imaging to understand how neurodegenerative diseases affect memory and language and to improve early diagnosis of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and frontotemporal spectrum diseases.
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Lynn Bekris, PhD
Fluid Biomarkers
Lynn M. Bekris, PhD, is Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Washington. The Bekris Lab's research focuses on brain disorder biomarker discovery. Clinical and experimental research approaches are utilized to demonstrate the feasibility of genetic, epigenetic, and protein factors as circulating biomarkers of disease risk, progression, and therapeutic outcomes.
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Eardi Lila, PhD
Biostatistics
Eardi Lila, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at the University of Washington. His research focuses on developing statistical and machine learning methods for analyzing multimodal neuroimaging data, with particular expertise in modeling structural and functional brain connectivity. He is especially interested in linking complex imaging phenotypes to disease, behavior, and genetics.
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Ali Shojaie, PhD
Biostatistics
Ali Shojaie is Norm Breslow Endowed Professor of Biostatistics and Statistics at the University of Washington (UW). He is Interim Chair of the Department of Biostatistics, Founding Director of the Summer Institute for Statistics in Big Data (SISBID) at the University of Washington, and Lead of the Data Management and Statistics (DMS) Core of the UW Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC). Dr. Shojaie's research focuses on developing rigorous methods for analyzing complex biological data by leveraging statistical machine learning and artificial intelligence. He is an elected Fellow of the American Statistical Association (ASA) and the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (IMS) and recipient of the Leo Breiman Award from the ASA.
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Karen Torres, PsyD
Community Outreach
Dr. Torres is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist. She specializes in evaluating individuals interested in deep brain stimulation therapy for Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia, as well as individuals with neurodegeneration. Her research interests include understanding early and progressive cognitive impairment in dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease. Her interest in brain health has informed her passion for community outreach and education in underserved populations.
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Tasha Rhoads, PhD
Clinical Characterization
Tasha Rhoads, PhD, is an Assistant Professor of Neurology and clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Washington. Her clinical expertise spans a wide variety of neurological conditions including neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, and movement disorders. Her research focuses on cognitive resilience in aging, with particular emphasis on social determinants of health, health disparities, and the measurement of social, environmental, and socioeconomic factors.
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Study Staff
Nick Anthony
Lead Developer
Nick Anthony is a software engineer and research scientist specializing in data platforms, distributed systems, and healthcare informatics. He holds a Master of Science in Learning and Cognition from Florida State University and has built tools and infrastructure that empower researchers working with complex clinical and population health data. He is also the founder of multiple technology ventures and has contributed extensively to open-source software and peer-reviewed research, driven by a passion for transforming complex data into practical, real-world impact.
Emily Ishado, MSW
Manager, Lab Operations
Emily Ishado, MSW, is a geriatric clinical social worker with more than 20 years of experience serving older adults, people living with dementia, and family caregivers across home health, primary care, long-term care, and behavioral health settings. Since 2015, she has led and supported research and program development initiatives focused on improving care for people living with dementia while addressing gaps in the healthcare workforce. Her interests include community engagement, health equity, and advancing opportunities for individuals and communities to achieve healthy aging.
Nam Phuong Nguyen, PhD
Operations Manager
Nam Phuong Nguyen, PhD, is the Operations Manager for the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. She has an interdisciplinary background in experimental research spanning various research areas including nanotechnology, neuroscience, and vascular engineering. Her interests center around clinical research and translational technologies that improve overall brain health outcomes.
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Quinn Casey
Research Coordinator
Quinn Casey, MSc, is the Research Coordinator supporting the Alzheimer's Resilience Core efforts. She holds a Master's in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a Bachelor's in Public Health from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her community-based research experience spans global menstrual health, environmental and metabolic health, exercise adherence, and mental health. She is interested in health disparities and the role of community in shaping public health outcomes and is passionate about serving as a welcoming point of contact for study participants and community partners.
Anjena Khrisna
Laboratory Technician
Anjena Khrisna is a Research Technologist I at the Bekris Lab. She graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry. In her previous roles, she gained experience in clinical laboratory testing and research, contributing to projects focused on expanding and improving accessibility to at-home diagnostic testing. In her free time, she enjoys bouldering and spending time outdoors.
To Be Determined
Outreach Coordinator