Research labs at Rush University .

David A. Bennett Research Group

Longitudinal agingDementiaGenomics

David A. Bennett · Robert C. Borwell Professor of Neurological Sciences

David Bennett’s research follows aging over time to understand why cognition changes and why some people develop dementia. He leads studies including the Religious Orders Study and the Rush Memory and Aging Project, connecting community-based observations with genomics, imaging, biomedical measurements, and neuropathology. The broader research program examines Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, sleep, decision-making, and well-being. This multidisciplinary approach links the lived experience of aging with biological mechanisms, providing resources for investigating risk, resilience, and potential strategies for preventing or treating neurological disease.

DAIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Deborah A. Hall Research Group

Parkinson’s diseaseMovement disordersFragile X

Deborah A. Hall · Professor

Deborah Hall’s research connects genetics, epidemiology, and clinical studies to movement disorders. Her Parkinson’s disease work examines genomic contributors, early interventions such as exercise and neurotrophic factors, and complications including falls. A second focus investigates fragile X-associated ataxia through its frequency, movement and balance features, and possible interventions. She also directs resources such as a movement-disorder DNA repository and a fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia clinic. The program connects patient observations and molecular questions with carefully measured outcomes relevant to mobility and everyday function.

EMIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Elizabeth M. Berry-Kravis Research Group

Fragile X syndromeRare diseasesNeurogenetics

Elizabeth M. Berry-Kravis · Professor

Elizabeth Berry-Kravis studies rare neurogenetic and neurodevelopmental disorders, including fragile X syndrome. Her research includes genotype–phenotype relationships, longitudinal natural-history data, cognitive and language outcome measures, and clinical investigations of possible therapies. Other projects address disorders such as Niemann-Pick type C and Phelan-McDermid syndrome. She leads work to strengthen early-stage clinical-trial expertise for rare neurological conditions. The program connects molecular diagnosis and disease mechanisms with the practical challenge of measuring meaningful changes in patients, while distinguishing experimental treatments from established clinical care.

JSIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Julie Schneider Research Group

NeuropathologyAlzheimer’s diseaseAging

Julie Schneider · Professor

Julie Schneider investigates the brain changes that accompany memory loss and dementia in older adults. Her research brings neuropathology together with epidemiology to examine Alzheimer’s disease, vascular conditions, and other contributors to cognitive impairment. She also studies relationships between diet and abilities such as memory, thinking, and problem-solving. As senior neuropathologist at the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center, her work connects biological evidence from the brain with patterns observed in aging populations. This approach helps disentangle the multiple processes that can affect cognition late in life.

KAIndependently curated · Unclaimed

Konstantinos Arfanakis Research Group

Konstantinos Arfanakis · Professor

Konstantinos Arfanakis develops ways to see and measure brain changes associated with aging and dementia. His research spans MRI acquisition, image reconstruction and analysis, brain atlases, and imaging performed both in living participants and in donated brain tissue. Connecting MRI measurements with neuropathology helps investigate imaging biomarkers for age-related disease. He leads imaging research at Rush and also holds a biomedical engineering appointment at Illinois Tech. The work bridges imaging physics, computational analysis, and the biological interpretation of signals from the aging brain.

MRINeuroimagingDementia