McKnight Clinical Translational Research Scholarship in Cognitive Aging and Age-Related Memory Loss

Apply Now - The Application Window for the 2023 Scholarships is Open Now through September 1, 2022

Since 2018, the McKnight Brain Research Foundation has funded annually two McKnight Clinical Translational Research Scholarships (CTRS) in Cognitive Aging and Age-Related Memory Loss through the American Brain Foundation and the American Academy of Neurology.

The scholarships support early career clinician scientists with the purpose of developing the next generation of researchers working to better understand and alleviate the effects of age-related cognitive decline and memory loss.

The application window for the 2023 scholarships is open now through September 1, 2022. Apply Now!

Program At-A-Glance

Each McKnight scholarship consists of a commitment of $65,000 per year for two years, plus $10,000 per year to support formal education in clinical research methodology. To date, 10 clinician scientists have received McKnight scholarships, and two new researchers will be awarded scholarships annually from 2023-2028.

^$1.5M

awarded to eight recipients in the first four years

applications for eight McKnight Scholarships

papers published by McKnight Scholars

Renewal

The McKnight Brain Research Foundation recently renewed its commitment to the collaboration with the American Brain Foundation and American Academy of Neurology with a five-year year, $1.65 million grant to support 10 additional McKnight scholars.

Two scholarships per year will be awarded from 2023 to 2028.

Apply Now!

Are you a clinician scientist studying cognitive aging or age-related memory loss? The application period for the 2023 Clinical Translational Research Scholarship is open now through September 1, 2022.

Learn More and Apply Now

Meet the Scholars

The McKnight scholars represent the best and brightest early career physician scientists, and their projects have been vetted and selected by the American Academy of Neurology’s Science Committee and three Donor Trustees of the McKnight Brain Research Foundation.

The current McKnight scholars are engaged in interdisciplinary research projects that range from studies exploring the role of sleep in memory formation, to the impact of kidney disease on cognitive impairment and memory loss, to the correlation between hearing loss and scam susceptibility in older adults. Hailing from seven universities across the country, their interdisciplinary research projects are advancing the understanding of age-related cognitive decline and memory loss.

Meet the 2022 Scholars

Michael Kleinman, PhD
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL

Project: Assessing Trajectories of Discrete Measures of Speech Behavior in Age-Related Decline

As we age, aspects of cognition slow, resulting in difficulty connecting thoughts with the words to express the. While some degree of speech degradation is associated with both age-related and pathological decline due to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, the degradation due to age-related decline has not been well studied. Dr. Kleiman’s research will study speech behavior in older adults to identify the social and medical factors that cause a decline in speech. Identifying these factors may lead to the development of remote, virtual, or phone screenings that can identify pathological cognitive decline.

Sarah Szymkowicz, PhD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN

Project: Non-Invasive Neuromodulation to Enhance Targeted Cognitive Remediation in Older Adults with Depression

In older adults, depression is associated with difficulties in learning and memory, executive function, and processing speed. Of these, declines in executive function are most prominent and correspond with a higher risk of cognitive and functional decline and transition to dementia, as well as structural and functional brain alterations. While there are currently no FDA- approved treatments for older adults with depression, both novel computerized cognitive remediation (nCCR) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have shown promise. Dr. Szymkowicz will research whether combining tDCS with nCCR enhances the brain activity and cognitive functions of older adults with depression, potentially leading to new treatments for depression in older adults.

Past Recipients

2021 Recipient

Reem Waziry, MBBCh, MPH, PhD
Columbia University, New York, NY

Project: Biological Age and Cognitive Resilience: with Special Emphasis on Ischemic Stroke Survivors

2021 Recipient

Wai-Ying Wendy Yau, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA

Project: Quantifying Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Aging Mediated by White Matter Injury and Tau

2020 Recipient

Brian Baxter, PhD
Massachusetts General Hospital, Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Project: Characterizing and enhancing sleep oscillations to improve memory: developing a scalable treatment for healthy aging and age-related memory loss

2020 Recipient

Sarah Getz, PhD
University of Miami Department of Neurology, Instructor of Neuropsychology

Project: Neurocognitive correlates of scam susceptibility in age-related hearing loss

2019 Recipient

Christian Camargo, MD
University of Miami Department of Neurology, Assistant Professor of Clinical

Project: Reducing the effects of aging on cognition with therapeutic intervention of an oral nutrient – the REACTION Study

2019 Recipient

Sanaz Sedaghat, PhD
Northwestern University, Assistant Professor of Clinical Neurology

Project: Cognitive aging in kidney impairment: role of uremic toxins

2018 Recipient

Kimberly Albert, PhD
Vanderbilt University, Research Instructor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Project: Changes in attention network dynamics related to performance in aging

2018 Recipient

Brice McConnell, MD, PhD
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center, Assistant Professor of Neurology

Project: Development of transcranial electrical stimulation for modulation of sleep and cognitive performance in aging adults

Funding Guidelines

Join Us

The Foundation champions research to better understand and eliminate the effects of age-related cognitive decline and memory loss. Find out how you can join the team of researchers working to advance our mission of helping people achieve a lifetime of cognitive health.

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