Research Archives

Nov 26

Caleb "Tuck" Finch Kesten Memorial Lecture photo

2024 Kesten Lecture: University Professor Caleb Finch Highlights Modern Causes of Alzheimer’s, Suggests Dementia Rates Could Be Reduced

By Orli Belman Alzheimer's and Dementia, Courses, Events, Faculty, Featured, Research

Finch’s work spans decades of pioneering discoveries, including the relationships between inflammation, air pollution, and dementia.

Nov 25

A Powerhouse of Innovation

By Beth Newcomb Featured, Mitochondria, Research

How a serendipitous discovery more than 20 years ago led to a new chapter in biology and made the USC Leonard Davis School a leading force in unraveling the mysteries of mitochondria.

Nov 21

send it in a letter art by natalie avunjian

Send It In a Letter: Using Mail to Mitigate Risky Prescriptions

By Beth Newcomb Featured, Health and Wellness, Policy, Research

Low-cost mailings can help address overdose deaths and other negative impacts of benzodiazepines and opioids, say USC researchers.

Nov 19

Rethinking How We Study Black Health & Aging

By USC Leonard Davis Communications Cultural Affairs, Demography, Faculty, Featured, Research

USC Leonard Davis alumna and Assistant Professor Lauren Brown wants to challenge the way researchers study older Black and Brown adults — and to question how researchers define “old” in the first place.

Nov 13

Colorful capsule pills lifting a black hex dumbbell. Illustration of the concept of pharmaceutical research on pills to replace exercise and workouts

Could a Pill Provide the Dementia-Fighting Benefits of Exercise? Study in Mice Raises the Possibility

By USC Leonard Davis Communications Alzheimer's and Dementia, Featured, Research

USC Leonard Davis Professor Constanza Cortes’ lab is looking for ways to help older people who can’t exercise due to medical or physical conditions.

Oct 21

The actin cytoskeleton structure of cells

Mechanical Stress’ Surprising Effects on Health & Longevity

By Beth Newcomb Featured, Research, Students

How does the stress of a less forgiving environment affect cells? Simply hardening the surface on which tiny worms grow offers possible insights into aging, cancer and more.

Sep 25

2024 Hanson-Thorell Family Research Awards Launch New Studies to Improve Alzheimer’s Disease and Sarcopenia Treatments

By Orli Belman Featured, Honors and Awards, Research

As recipients of the 2024 Hanson-Thorell Family Research Awards, Assistant Professor Michelle Keller and Research Assistant Professor Hiroshi Kumagai each received $25,000 for one-year pilot projects aiming to improve how Alzheimer's and sarcopenia might be treated and potentially lower the costs for doing so.

Aug 12

Downtown Los Angeles covered in a layer of smog.

Study: Drug Protects Against Air Pollution-Related Alzheimer’s Signs in Mice

By Beth Newcomb Alzheimer's and Dementia, Featured, Research

Mice that had been fed the drug GSM-15606 had lower levels of Aβ42, a longer form of the amyloid beta protein, a major component of the telltale plaques seen in human brains with Alzheimer’s.

Jul 24

The pathways in the brain highlighted are those most affected by concussion. Image/Benjamin Hacker et al.

Do You Have A Mild Concussion? New AI Might Aid Diagnosis

By Beth Newcomb Alzheimer's and Dementia, Featured, Research

USC Viterbi undergraduate’s research with Andrei Irimia of USC Leonard Davis could help diagnose traumatic brain injury earlier.

Jun 20

Portrait of Michelle Keller with her title beside it, Assistance Professor of Gerontology

Assistant Professor Michelle Keller: Deprescribing and medication management for older adults

By USC Leonard Davis Communications Alzheimer's and Dementia, Caregiving, Podcast, Research

Michelle Keller is an assistant professor of gerontology and the Leonard and Sophie Davis Early Career Chair in Minority Aging at the USC Leonard Davis School. She spoke to us about her research focused on improving patient-clinician communication, medication management, and the identification of dementia in minority older adults. Here…