Jessica Noche L
- Research Program Mentor
PhD candidate at University of California Irvine (UCI)
Expertise
Neuroscience, Alzheimer's disease, neuroimaging, neuroinflammation, biostatistics, neuropsychology, psychology, molecular biology, learning and memory, aging, scientific writing, scientific communication, research proposals, grant applications
Bio
Hi! I'm Jess. After earning my bachelor’s degree in Psychology, I conducted research as a staff research program coordinator in a human neuroimaging laboratory at the University of California, Irvine. I was extremely fascinated by how our brains can give rise to our complex ability to learn and remember information throughout our lives. Now, I’m in my final year as a Ph.D candidate where I take all different kinds of data (MRI, biofluid samples, and cognitive/behavioral data) and apply computational and statistical approaches to uncover how our brains function and change over time in health and disease. Specifically, I investigate the factors that lead to memory deficits in aging and Alzheimer’s disease, a neurodegenerative disease that is the leading cause of dementia among older adults. I enjoy going on camping trips with my two dogs, playing tunes on my keyboard, and volunteering in community outreach activities that educate children and adults alike on the wonders of the brain.Project ideas
Alzheimer's disease: what's on the horizon?
In this project, you will learn about the the key pathological mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease (AD), as well as the influence of lifestyle factors such as exercise, sleep, and nutrition, on AD risk. Next, you will dive into the fundamentals of advanced neuroimaging tools and analysis approaches for identifying and evaluating biomarkers of AD. Lastly, you will write a scientific review that surveys recent literature and key findings on various advancements in AD research including novel drug targets, therapeutic and preventative strategies, and the discovery of predictive AD biomarkers.