Melissa E. Murray, Ph.D.
As principal investigator in the Translational Neuropathology Lab, Dr. Murray leads a team that is advancing research in brain aging and neurodegenerative disorders, especially focusing on the vulnerability or resilience of affected people with Alzheimer's disease.
Read Dr. Murray's research bio.
Baayla D C Boon, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Boon obtained her doctor of medicine and Ph.D. degrees from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She is an instructor in neuroscience, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.
Dr. Boon has established a cohort of donor brains from donors who had Alzheimer's disease and underwent in-situ 3-tesla MRI after death.
In 2022, Dr. Boon accepted a position as a research fellow in Mayo Clinic's Department of Neuroscience. Dr. Boon has been the first author and a co-author in several papers. She has successfully secured grants.
Dr. Boon is program chair for the Professional Interest Area on Atypical Alzheimer's Disease, which is organized by the International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment. As a medical doctor, Dr. Boon always considers the patient's life when interpreting brain sections under a microscope. In the future, she aims to predict the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease to group patients for treatment based on pathophysiology.
Sara R. Dunlop Brooks, Ph.D.
Dr. Brooks received her Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 2023. During her graduate studies, Dr. Brooks gained diverse technological training in molecular neuroscience. She used this training to study the mechanisms regulating bone morphogenetic protein antagonism within the hippocampus. Dr. Brooks joined the Translational Neuropathology Lab in September 2023. She is a research fellow in the lab.
She has conducted clinicopathological correlations, exploring the selective vulnerability of the nucleus basalis of Meynert in frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Her work specifically delved into the vulnerability of the cholinergic basal forebrain and associated cholinergic projection system to pathological tau accumulation and axonal degeneration in corticobasal degeneration.
In collaboration with the Outreach, Recruitment and Engagement Core, Dr. Brooks co-led a qualitative study to better understand and later implement institutional changes to support brain donation and clinical research participation among Black Americans with Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Brooks aims to combine her molecular neuroscience training and passion for selective vulnerability to study risk and resilience in young-onset Alzheimer's disease. She is focusing on atypical Alzheimer's disease.
Kelsey Caetano-Anolles, Ph.D.
Dr. Caetano-Anolles received her Ph.D. in animal science and bioinformatics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her thesis focused on uncovering the genetic mechanisms behind human psychological phenomena using mouse models.
Dr. Caetano-Anolles relocated to Seoul, South Korea, after receiving her Ph.D. During her five years there, her postgraduate research centered on applying bioinformatics tools and principles of population genetics to analyze genomic polymorphisms, particularly those relevant to disease. As a research professor at Seoul National University Hospital, the largest hospital in South Korea, she analyzed human genomic variants to find disease risk factors. She focused on side effects present in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.
With the continuous advancement of bioinformatics, Dr. Caetano-Anolles believes that the tools available today hold the key to uncovering genetic factors related to various conditions in at-risk populations. This will allow for the development of genetic interventions.
In 2019, Dr. Caetano-Anolles returned to the U.S. and settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There she co-founded Callout Biotech, a biotechnology company. This company offers custom bioinformatic analysis and pipeline development support to researchers worldwide.
In her role as a research scientist in Mayo Clinic's Translational Neuropathology Lab, Dr. Caetano-Anolles drafts and edits manuscripts, grant proposals, study documentation, progress reports and other research-related communications.
Jessica L. Chalk
Chalk graduated with Bachelor of Science degrees in biomedical sciences and behavioral neuroscience from the University of North Florida in 2021. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience.
Chalk has been at Mayo Clinic since 2019. She is a research technologist for the lab. She joined the Translational Neuropathology Lab in 2022.
Chalk's training focuses on immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence work in Alzheimer's pathology. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research involving biochemistry, cell culture and genetics in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Chalk hopes to pursue a career as a medical science liaison in the biotech industry.
Erica Engelberg-Cook, Ph.D.
Dr. Engelberg-Cook supports Mayo Clinic neuropathology research programs. She collaborates with Dennis W. Dickson, M.D., in the Neuropathology and Microscopy Laboratory, and Dr. Murray in the Translational Neuropathology Laboratory. The lab's intent is to use neuropathology, neuroimaging, clinicopathologic analysis and genetics to study a wide range of neurocognitive, vascular and motor neuron disorders, and brain aging. Dr. Engelberg-Cook contributes to administrative and research activities in Mayo Clinic's brain bank.
Dr. Engelberg-Cook's expertise extends into neuroscience, neuroendocrinology, reproductive experience and reproductive biotechnologies. She has extensive experience in higher education, agency-funded programs and quality auditing within educational institutions. She is certified as a clinical research coordinator. Dr. Engelberg-Cook also spearheads industry-based clinical research initiatives and evidence-based business development endeavors that comply with the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use. She makes sure research intellectual property is protected while pursuing national and international collaborations and overseeing the project.
Dr. Engelberg-Cook's research interests revolve around the integration of diverse experiences. She particularly focuses on constructing a clinicopathology approach to unravel differences in men and women with dementia and related disorders.
Avery Hatfield
- Logistics Program Coordinator
Hatfield received a Bachelor of Science in health sciences from the University of Central Florida. As a program coordinator in the Translational Neuropathology Lab, she brings a unique perspective to the team.
During her tenure at the University of Central Florida, Hatfield explored tertiary research, particularly how nursing staff in regional emergency departments affected patient health outcomes. In her current capacity, Hatfield supports the lab's Alzheimer's disease research endeavors. She nurtures scientific inquiry and promotes seamless communication, ensuring meetings are productive. Also, Hatfield oversees and coordinates administrative and logistical duties, assisting lab staff. She uses her diverse research background to evolve and adapt and support the lab's collaborative efforts.
Jahandar Jahanipour, Ph.D.
- Principal Data Science Analyst
Dr. Jahanipour earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 2019. He developed customized, open-source visualization, machine learning, deep learning and computer vision tools at the National Institutes of Health as a postdoctoral fellow. During this period, he authored multiple papers and reviewed numerous journal and conference papers, greatly contributing to the scientific community. Also, Dr. Jahanipour consulted with biomedical image analysis companies, offering his expertise on the integration of artificial intelligence-based techniques.
Dr. Jahanipour is a principal data science analyst at Mayo Clinic. He specializes in data science, machine learning and deep learning, and computer vision.
With a focus on healthcare applications, Dr. Jahanipour develops tailored software solutions for full analysis in the field of digital pathology at Mayo Clinic. He uses advanced AI algorithms to interpret and understand diseases. He specifically focuses on Alzheimer's and dementia research.
Naomi Kouri, Ph.D.
Dr. Kouri received a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the University of North Florida and a Ph.D. in neurobiology of disease from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. During her Ph.D. studies, Dr. Kouri focused on studying the genetics and neuropathology of corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy and frontotemporal dementia. She published the first genome-wide association study in corticobasal degeneration.
At Mayo Clinic, Dr. Kouri is an assistant professor of neuroscience, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. She uses an interdisciplinary approach to study neurodegenerative disorders, including clinical, neuropathologic and genetic disease characteristics. She also is co-director of the Practical Neuroanatomy course for Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
Projects led by Dr. Kouri include digital spatial profiling to explore transcriptomic and proteomic changes in young-onset Alzheimer's disease, microglia phenotyping in Alzheimer's disease, and genetic association studies to find variants influencing disease risk and neuropathology in Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Kouri regularly attends genetic courses to keep up on the latest genetic and transcriptomic analytical methodologies.
Rain Kwan
Kwan received a master's degree in computer science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2022. She joined the Translational Neuropathology Lab the same year.
With a specialization in applied machine learning in healthcare, Kwan is addressing the digital divide and health disparities. As a data science analyst in the Translational Neuropathology Lab, she contributes to the team by using machine learning and technology to analyze collected data and learn more about neurodegenerative disorders. She also develops virtual tools to optimize lab workflow and improve data management processes.
Christian Lachner, M.D.
Dr. Lachner is a consultant with the departments of Neurology, Neurologic Surgery, and Psychiatry and Psychology at Mayo Clinic in Florida. He is certified in psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, and neuropsychiatry and behavioral neurology. Dr. Lachner evaluates and treats neurocognitive disorders, such as mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. He also evaluates and treats related dementias, such as Lewy body disease, vascular cognitive impairment and frontotemporal lobar degeneration syndromes.
Dr. Lachner specializes in the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as psychiatric manifestations of neurological disorders. These manifestations include nonmotor aspects of Parkinson's disease, stroke, brain tumors, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and encephalitis.
In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Lachner is involved in clinical research. He is principal investigator and co-investigator on several studies related to brain health, aging, and Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. He also is a certified member of the Institute on Methods and Protocols for Advancement of Clinical Trials in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias, also known as IMPACT-AD.
Dr. Lachner is an assistant professor of psychiatry and neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. He has a keen interest in understanding brain health and resilience, neurodegenerative diseases, and brain-derived mechanisms leading to neuropsychiatric syndromes. He has published work in these areas. He also plays an active role in education, providing lectures, supervising trainees and taking part in professional meetings.
Sarah J. Lincoln
- Principal Research Technologist
Lincoln received her Bachelor of Science from the University of East Anglia and a postgraduate certificate in education from the University of Roehampton London. She moved to the U.S. in 1994 to work in the laboratory of Karen E. Duff, Ph.D., at the University of South Florida. There she engineered the presenilin 2 knockout mouse model.
In 1996, Lincoln began her career at Mayo Clinic, continuing her work on the genetics of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases in the laboratories of Dr. Duff and John A. Hardy, Ph.D. She joined the laboratory of Matthew J. Farrer, Ph.D., in 2000 and became part of the team that discovered mutations in the familial Parkinson's disease gene leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 and alpha-synuclein genetic multiplications. Lincoln went on to model these genetic discoveries in mouse models of Parkinsonism.
In 2010, Lincoln joined the Genetics of Alzheimer's Disease and Endophenotypes Laboratory of Nilufer Ertekin-Taner, M.D., Ph.D. In 2020, she began working in the Translational Neuropathology Lab.
Lincoln has extensive research experience in genetics, animal modeling, and cell and molecular biology. She is studying possible interactions of the Alzheimer's disease protein tau in neurodegenerative diseases. Using next-generation sequencing and expression data, she models genetic variants and differential gene expression that could affect tau aggregation and the pathogenesis of the disease.
Lincoln enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with students, visiting postdoctoral fellows, neurologists and medical interns. She teaches them the key aspects of molecular genetics and cell biology in a laboratory setting.
Braun B. Martin
Martin received a Bachelor of Science degree in biomedical science from Keiser University in 2021. He joined Mayo Clinic in February 2022, initially working in the lab of Dennis W. Dickson, M.D. Martin supported Mayo's brain bank and published two works on atypical Parkinsonian diseases and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Martin began working for the Translational Neuropathology Lab in 2023. He is a research technologist who supports the lab's efforts to research the causes and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.
Christina M. Moloney, Ph.D.
Dr. Moloney received her Bachelor of Science in biotechnology with a minor in chemistry from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2014. She received her Ph.D. in biomedical sciences, with a concentration in neuroscience, from the University of Florida in 2018. Dr. Moloney joined the Translational Neuropathology Lab in 2019.
Dr. Moloney is a research associate in the Translational Neuropathology Lab and an instructor in neuroscience, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science. Her research focuses on neurofibrillary tangle maturity in Alzheimer's disease and how it relates to biomarkers before death, including tau positron emission tomography, MRI and phosphorylated tau in plasma.
Zhongwei Peng, M.S.
Peng received bachelor's degrees in mathematics and economics from Indiana University Bloomington in July 2017. He received master's degrees in statistical science and economics in 2021.
Peng joined Mayo Clinic as a biostatistician in January 2022. He works with investigators on statistical analysis, interpretation and reporting of various studies in the Translational Neuropathology Lab.
Kelly M. Ross, M.S.
- Senior Research Technologist
Ross received a Bachelor of Science degree in 2002 from the University of North Florida. She received a master's degree in biomedical sciences from Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in 2011. Her focus was characterization of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2-associated Parkinson's disease using in vivo models. She joined Mayo Clinic in August 2005, going on to join the Neuropathology and Microscopy Lab. There she studied how neuropathological changes in the microtubule-associated protein tau lead to Alzheimer's disease.
Ross specializes in cell biology and molecular genetics. She focuses on neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, related dementias and Parkinson's disease. Using human brain tissues that patients and their families donated to Mayo Clinic's brain bank, she aims to explain the underlying genetic and protein mechanisms of disease progression.
Ross extracts DNA and RNA from brain tissues for expression arrays, generating large datasets to find new genes affecting disease progression. These findings can be shared globally to halt and prevent the progression of these disorders.
Ross characterized the clinically relevant Parkinson's disease gene-protein leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 using cell culture models and developed new antibodies. Since 2017, she has studied the heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease with Dr. Murray to understand the molecular mechanisms causing selective hippocampal vulnerability.
Darren M. Rothberg
Rothberg graduated from Clark University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in conservation biology. He joined the Translational Neuropathology Lab in 2021. Rothberg supports the lab's effort to research the causes and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease using digital pathology analysis.
Sabrina B. Rothberg, M.P.H.
- Senior Program Coordinator
Rothberg received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland in 2007. Following her undergraduate studies, she completed a post-baccalaureate internship at the National Cancer Institute's Mammary Biology and Tumorigenesis Laboratory, focusing on murine mammary tumorigenesis. To further her expertise, she received a Master of Public Health degree from Tulane University School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine in New Orleans.
As a senior program coordinator in the Translational Neuropathology Lab, Rothberg contributes to various aspects of operations, including providing neuropathologic documentation for the research team. She is learning more about neurodegenerative diseases using Leica's Aperio digital pathology program. She is using her education and expertise to support Longitudinal Early-onset Alzheimer's Disease Study (LEADS) team members.
In addition to the LEADS project, Rothberg manages the Institutional Review Boards for the lab and organizes and coordinates grant deliverables.
Before joining the Mayo team in March 2021, Rothberg was a project coordinator for the Department of Regenerative Medicine at the Naval Medical Research Center (now known as the Naval Medical Research Command) in Silver Spring, Maryland. This background helps her manage projects and drive impactful research outcomes.
Tiffany N. Sirmans
Sirmans received her Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology with a minor in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Georgia in 2020. Her undergraduate research focused on the allosteric nature of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, with specific attention to the thermodynamic coupling between the allosteric and orthosteric sites. She learned about protein purification, protein crystallization, X-ray diffraction and steady-state kinetics while studying UDP-glucose dehydrogenase.
Sirmans is a graduate student in the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology track in Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. For her thesis project, Sirmans will study MAPT mutations to understand regional effects on abnormal tau aggregation and aggregation propensity. She will use neuropathologic and computational biochemical approaches in her project.
Jessica F. Tranovich
Tranovich earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in 2017. She is the program manager for the Translational Neuropathology Lab. She oversees and coordinates a diverse range of research projects and activities in the lab. Her responsibilities include project planning, coordination, resource management, team leadership, compliance, quality assurance, documentation and reporting.
Tranovich began her career at Mayo Clinic in 2016, helping families navigate the donation process for Mayo Clinic's brain bank.
Daniel P. Wickland, Ph.D.
Dr. Wickland graduated with a Bachelor of Science in neuroscience from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2012. After obtaining a Master of Science in crop sciences in 2014, he pursued a Ph.D. program in informatics at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. During his doctoral program, Dr. Wickland received a graduate fellowship from the Mayo Clinic & Illinois Alliance for Technology-Based Healthcare to develop an innovative bioinformatics framework to find genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease.
Dr. Wickland joined Mayo Clinic's Department of Quantitative Health Sciences in 2019. He has been a member of the Translational Neuropathology Lab since 2021.
Dr. Wickland develops and applies computational approaches in genomics and transcriptomics to find disease risk factors and therapeutic targets. He works with laboratory scientists and clinical investigators. His research spans translational research of complex disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
Dr. Wickland's research focuses on syndromic heterogeneity in young-onset Alzheimer's disease, cancer neoantigen discovery, prioritization from tumor sequencing data, clinical trials of combination therapies of neoantigen vaccines, and immune checkpoint inhibitors, as well as data disparities in racial minority patients.
Ashley C. Wood
Wood earned an Associate of Science degree in histologic technology from Florida State College at Jacksonville in 2018. During an internship at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Wood prepared tissue specimens for microscopic diagnosis of disease. She joined the Mayo team in August 2021.
As a research assistant in the Translational Neuropathology Lab, Wood contributes to the lab's research efforts on Alzheimer's disease. She is a certified phlebotomist, bringing experience from her work at a plasma center and physician's office, where she collected blood samples and analyzed data and tests.