Association of Cognitive and Behavioral Features Between Adults With Tuberous Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia

While striving to provide excellent clinical care, I also have several research interests:

1. Establish novel diagnostic biomarkers along with new therapeutic targets in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and comorbid Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy. I currently serve as the Associate Biomarker Core lead in the Duke-UNC Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC). I am also the site Principal Investigator (PI) of a Biogen sponsored phase 2 clinical trial, CELIA (BIIB080), that targets AD-related tau through an Anti-sense oligonucleotide (ASO) mechanism. Additionally, I am the site PI of the ALNYLAM sponsored phase 2 clinical trial. This trial knocks down the expression of APP through an ASO mechanism to potentially treat Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy (CAA).

2. Investigate a neurodevelopmental disorder, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC), which has the potential to provide insight into the pathophysiological mechanism of AD-related tau. I have published several papers on this subject and am currently the PI of the Ann B. Bussell award that is following TSC patients longitudinally to determine if TSC is an AD-related tauopathy. 

3. I am interested discovering new biomarkers to diagnose various neurodegenerative diseases. I am a co-Investigator with NCCU colleagues. We have published several new tau epitopes as potential biomarkers in diagnosing AD at earlier stages and have applied for several government funding mechanisms to continue this work.