As ATRI’s Director of Neuropsychology, Dr. Cecily Jenkins is making important progress toward earlier identification and intervention for Alzheimer’s Disease. In this episode, Dr. Jenkins joins the podcast to explain what neuropsychology is and why it’s such an essential part of ATRI’s work. She also shares an inside look at the work her team is doing to standardize clinical trials across many locations and researchers, and she discusses some important innovations and discoveries that have shifted our approach to Alzheimer's research over the past few decades.

Episode Recap:

• In this episode, we’re talking with Dr. Cecily Jenkins, director of neuropsychology at ATRI (0:41)
• What is neuropsychology, and how did you get interested in it? (2:23)
• How has the field of neuropsychology evolved in recent years? (6:26)
• What do you wish people knew about the research process? (10:54)
• What changes are you and your team making to the research process? (12:42)
• Why is biomarker evidence the most important development of the last 10 years? (19:10)
• What are you most proud of from your time at ATRI? (22:02)
• What is your hope for the future of Alzheimer’s research? (24:44)
• Why is data standardization so important, and what are you doing to support it? (27:56)
• How can people get involved? (33:15)

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Sarah Walter, MSc knows that participant feedback is vital for effective Alzheimer’s research. As program administrator for the ACTC and ATRI, Sarah has done important work to foster collaboration both within the community and with external partners. In this episode, Sarah joins the podcast to explain why it’s so important to involve participants in the research process. She also discusses some key shifts that can help make Alzheimer’s trials more accessible to diverse populations, and she shares a few success stories of implementing participant feedback.

Episode Recap:

• In this episode, we’re talking with Sarah Walter, program administrator for ACTC and ATRI. (0:41)
• Can you tell us about your role at ATRI and explain how you got here? (2:40)
• How did you start the process of getting more people involved in your research? (7:24)
• What has changed since you started involving research participants? (12:27)
• How can we make research more accessible, and why is that so important? (18:06)
• What are you working toward next? (22:55)
• What key shifts have helped make research more approachable for participants? (24:19)
• How can people get involved and share their feedback? (28:27)

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Whether he’s leading a clinical trial or advising film and television writers on accurate portrayals of Alzheimer’s, Dr. Michael Rafii knows that clear, accessible communication matters. In this episode, Dr. Rafii joins the podcast to discuss his work as Medical Director of ATRI and Director of the Medical Safety Unit of ACTC. He shares a fascinating overview of his clinical research around developing new treatments for a genetic form of Alzheimer’s in people with Down syndrome and explains how Alzheimer’s research has evolved throughout his career. Dr. Rafii also discusses his approach to communicating complex medical topics in a way that’s clear and easy to understand.

Episode Recap:

• In this episode, we’re talking with ATRI Medical Director Dr. Michael Rafii (0:41)
• Can you tell us about your role at ATRI and the work you’re doing with Alzheimer’s clinical trials? (1:40) 
• How did you get involved with Alzheimer’s research, and how has it evolved? (4:29)
• Can you tell us about your work at the intersection of Alzheimer’s and Down syndrome? (11:15)
• How do genetics connect to Alzheimer’s risk? (20:13)
• What are some of the barriers to research for people with Down syndrome? (22:52)
• How are you working to educate the next generation of researchers? (28:00)
• What are your hopes for the future of Alzheimer’s research? (34:25)
• Can you tell us more about what the current clinical studies are testing? (36:33)
• Why is clear, easy-to-understand communication so important in this space? (39:20)

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Regulatory affairs is one of the key mechanisms that keeps clinical trials moving forward — ensuring participant consent, overseeing the review process, and helping trials occur faster. In this episode, Elizabeth Shaffer joins the podcast to discuss her work as Regulatory Affairs Manager for the Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI) and the Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC). She shares an overview of the consent process for participants, explains what Institutional Review Boards (IRB) are, and how they oversee research.  She discusses some key advancements in the regulatory process for Alzheimer’s clinical trials throughout her career. Elizabeth also reflects on ATRI’s progress and shares some of her hopes for the future of Alzheimer’s research. 

Episode Recap:

• In this episode, we’re talking with ATRI’s Regulatory Affairs Manager, Elizabeth Shaffer (0:40)
• How did you get involved with regulatory affairs? (2:27)
• What is regulatory, and how has it evolved since you started working in this field? (5:46)
• What role does the IRB play in clinical research? (8:37)
• How do you make sure you’re communicating clearly to trial participants? (9:35)
• What are you most excited about in your work today? (13:10)
• How does your work make research faster and more accessible? (17:09)
• What does the consent process look like for participants throughout a trial? (18:36)
• What keeps you motivated to do this work, and what are you most proud of? (24:49) 
• What is your hope for the future of ATRI? (30:09)

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Connect with Elizabeth Shaffer

ATRI’s work is built on a foundation of strong, openly shared data. In this episode, ATRI’s own Clinical Research Director Lindsey Hergesheimer joins the podcast to discuss her work, from starting at ATRI working in data management to transitioning to clinical monitoring. Lindsey shares an inside look at ATRI’s approach to clinical research and explains why clinical monitoring is such an important part of advancing Alzheimer’s treatment. Lindsey also opens up about her personal connection to the work she’s doing and describes how ATRI’s culture of continuous learning has helped her grow throughout her career. 

Episode Recap:

• In this episode we’ll talk with ATRI’s Clinical Monitoring Director Lindsey Hergesheimer (0:40)
• What is clinical monitoring, and how did you get involved with it? (1:30)
• How does ATRI use deidentified data for clinical research? (4:15)
• How did COVID-19 impact your work in clinical monitoring? (11:28)
• What’s it like to be a clinical monitor visiting different sites? (18:37)
• What keeps you motivated to continue working in Alzheimer’s research? (23:14)
• Why is open data sharing so important at ATRI? (26:06)
• What advice would you give to people interested in this career path? (30:10)
• How do you stay grounded and maintain work-life balance? (33:37)
• What are your hopes for the future of ATRI and Alzheimer’s research? (36:17)

Learn more about ATRI

Brought to you by the Alzheimer’s Therapeutic Research Institute (ATRI), The Alzheimer’s Research Podcast offers an inside look at the science, stories, and people driving progress in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. Through engaging conversations with researchers, study participants, and leading experts, we explore the latest discoveries, ongoing clinical trials, and the real-world impact of groundbreaking studies.

For more information, visit https://atri.usc.edu/.