Blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer’s Disease, Brain Health, and Aging.

Ongoing projects evaluate genomics and proteomics associated with longitudinal changes in brain imaging and cognition. These include both targeted analysis of known biomarkers for neuronal injury and AD pathology and also large-scale proteomic efforts in multi-cohort collaborations to identify novel proteins and pathways associated with cognition, incident dementia, and brain MRI features. The goal is to identify disease mechanisms and potential targets for therapeutic development. This work is funded by a K01 award from the National Institutes on Aging.

Translational Pharmacogenetics.

We identify genomic variants associated with therapeutic efficacy and toxicity, and evaluate strategies for implementation in diverse settings. Studies have included 1) community-based participatory research to  identify novel genetic variants associated with medication toxicity, 2) analysis of electronic health record data to identify associations of pharmacogenetic variants with healthcare utilization in a real-world patient setting; and 3) curation and synthesis of pharmacogenetic knowledge to develop recommendations for clinical care.

Machine Learning Approaches to Guide Precision Medicine.

We adapt machine learning methods to epidemiological and clinical data to generate novel insights beyond what traditional epidemiology methods can contribute. For example, we adapted a natural language processing machine learning model to quantify clinical heterogeneity in sepsis patients, enabling research into the optimization of sepsis treatment that harnesses, rather than ignores, patient variability. We leverage machine learning approaches to develop risk prediction tools and to uncover potential biological pathways in aging-related outcomes.

Epidemiology in Community-Based Participatory Research.

We have long-standing research partnerships with American Indian / Alaska Native communities in southwestern Alaska and Montana. Research is community-driven and designed to answer pressing questions of health and policy developed by members of the community. As part of this work, we develop novel methods that maximize respect of participants and communities in epidemiological research, and that present tools for researchers to incorporate these values into their own research. Past research has included identifying sources of vitamin D, characterizing genetic variants associated with medication safety, and evaluating epidemiologic evidence guiding newborn screening policies. We also developed a novel method to clean electronic health record data that prioritizes respect of patients’ lived experience.