Grant Recipient: Dr. Jessica Z.K. Caldwell, Clinical Neuropsychologist at the Lou Ruvo Center at Cleveland Clinic
WAM funding over the past three years has helped Dr. Jessica Caldwell, a clinician-scientist, leap from small studies of sex differences in Alzheimer’s disease to building a substantial program of sex- and gender-based research on Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers. Dr. Caldwell’s initial WAM funding, on how sex impacts the way amyloid effects memory and hippocampus volumes, led to publications that in turn led to her joining a major grant as project lead, which led to even more data, publications, and collaborations. Dr. Caldwell’s most recent WAM grant has allowed her to hire a postdoctoral fellow to help her expand and enrich our understanding of these critical differences in Alzheimer’s. Altogether, WAM grants have led to a wide-ranging program of sex differences in Alzheimer’s disease that reaches other investigators, studies, trainees, and patients. Aside from papers and grants, WAM has played a critical role in helping her find her career calling to build research programs that can have real-world impact for women at risk for Alzheimer’s, as well as for trainees.
