Marisa D
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at University of California Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
Expertise
Aging, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, Neuroscience, Neurobiology of Disease, Data Analysis
Bio
My name is Marisa and I am a Neuroscience PhD Student at UC Berkeley. I did my undergraduate degree in Psychology at the University of Arizona. My research involves investigating the relationship between blood-brain barrier breakdown, Alzheimer's disease pathology, and memory in aging. I use different methods of neuroimaging for my research, including MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and PET (positron emission tomography). Outside of research, I enjoy exercising, traveling, cooking, and hanging out with family and friends. Growing up in Arizona we had many beautiful mountains to hike so I love being outdoors and enjoying the sunshine!Project ideas
Influence of APOE genotype on Alzheimer's disease pathology
Genes are one risk factor for developing Alzheimer's disease. The APOE gene increases the risk of developing the more common form of Alzheimer's disease, called late-onset. There are three types of the APOE gene, called alleles: ε2, ε3 and ε4. It is well known that having the ε4 allele of the APOE gene is associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. However, it is not well known how the ε4 allele is associated with Alzheimer's disease pathology, such as amyloid-beta plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles. Research also suggests that having a copy of ε2 and ε3 alleles can be protective against the disease, but it is not well known how these alleles are associated with common Alzheimer's pathology. This project would investigate how the 3 different APOE alleles are associated with amyloid-beta plaques and tau deposition during aging.