Maria Pia Campagna, PhD, University of California San Francisco, and Quentin Devignes, PhD, University of Michigan each will receive $150,000 to advance their mentored research on cognitive aging and age-related memory loss
The McKnight Brain Research Foundation recently named Maria Pia Campagna, PhD, University of California, San Francisco and Quentin Devignes, PhD, University of Michigan as the 2026 recipients of the McKnight Clinical Translational Research Scholarship in Cognitive Aging and Age-Related Memory Loss.
The McKnight Clinical Translational Research Scholarship was established in 2018 to recognize the importance of person-centered research in promoting healthy cognitive aging. Drs. Campagna and Devignes will each receive $150,000 in funding from the McKnight Brain Research Foundation through the American Brain Foundation and the American Academy of Neurology to advance their mentored research on cognitive aging and age-related memory loss.
Meet the Scholars
Maria Pia Campagna, PhD, University of California, San Francisco
Investigating How Early Menopause Affects Cognitive Aging and Dementia Risk
Women who begin menopause at a younger age and have a shorter reproductive lifespan tend to experience a more pronounced decline in cognitive abilities after menopause, but the biological mechanisms to explain the relationship between earlier menopause and cognitive decline are unknown. Dr. Campagna will investigate the connection between early menopause, hormone therapy and increased dementia risk through a multi-omic investigation involving multiple layers of biological complexity. Among other benefits, her study could establish a foundation for future research that leads to new therapies to promote healthy cognitive aging, with or without hormonal interventions.
Quentin Devignes, PhD, University of Michigan
Normal or Not Normal Aging: Does Amyloidosis Play a Role in Non-Neurodegenerative Age-Related Memory Loss?
To better understand how and when memory loss occurs with typical aging, Dr. Devignes will study cognitively normal older adults who do not express blood biomarkers associated with a neurodegenerative condition. He will investigate the structural integrity of white matter tracts connecting brain regions involved in episodic memory, with the aim of determining whether such changes are a normal process in aging or the result of neurodegenerative disease. Dr. Devignes’ research aims to determine for the first time if amyloidosis (the process by which beta-amyloid proteins build up and cause neurodegeneration) plays a role in age-related memory loss and other brain changes among cognitively normal older adults.
“We are thrilled to fund the research of Dr. Campagna and Dr. Devignes as they work toward new discoveries in understanding how our brains adapt and change during vulnerable times, like menopause and amyloidosis. Their findings will play a critical role in helping identify opportunities for earlier and novel intervention to protect cognitive function across the lifespan.”
Michael L. Dockery, MD, Chair, McKnight Brain Research Foundation
“Dr. Campagna and Dr. Devignes are asking critical questions about the aging brain. Dr. Campagna’s investigation into the biological underpinnings of menopause-related cognitive decline opens a vital and historically underexplored window into women’s brain health, while Dr. Devignes’ work to determine whether amyloidosis plays a role in memory changes among cognitively normal older adults could fundamentally reshape how we think about the boundary between normal and pathological aging.”
Alice Luo Clayton, PhD, CEO, McKnight Brain Research Foundation
The McKnight Clinical Translational Research Scholars represent the best and brightest early-career scientists, and their projects were competitively selected by the American Academy of Neurology and McKnight Brain Research Foundation. To date, 17 scientists have received McKnight scholarships to support their interdisciplinary research advancing the understanding of age-related cognitive decline and memory loss. The 2027 RFA application period will open later this spring. To learn more about the scholarship and how to apply, please visit: www.mcknightbrain.org/mcknight-scholarship/.