Fellowship Programs

Translational Research Training Program in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (TRTP-AD/ADRD)

The Translational Research Training Program in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (TRTP-AD/ADRD) is a two year fellowship offering training in research to address the most challenging health problems in AD and ADRD. Fellows are connected with mentors in their training area.

TRTP-AD/AD capitalizes on a wide range of local research expertise including basic mechanisms of disease; biochemistry; medicinal chemistry and drug development; biomarkers in body fluids; social determinants of health; neurogenetics; structural, functional and molecular neuroimaging; neuropathology; human observational studies; and clinical trials. In addition, we have tremendous breadth of clinical expertise with faculty who are fellowship trained in AD/ADRDs. Faculty in the UCLA Easton Center focus on AD, dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), vascular contributions to cognitive Impairment and dementia (VCID), and mixed dementias, as well as syndromes with various etiologies, such as primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and corticobasal syndrome (CBS).

Training activities are tailored to the individual and include the following: 1) training in data collection and interpretation through NIH-sponsored and investigator-initiated clinical studies, including community-partnered participatory research, as well as industry-sponsored clinical trials, 2) clinical evaluation and care of AD and related dementias including DLB, FTD, PSP, CBD, vascular dementia, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, 3) presenting at weekly case conferences, journal clubs, data blitzes, annual research symposia, and other venues, 4) training in clinical-pathological correlations including brain cutting sessions and neuropathology slide review, 5) training in experimental design, quantitative analysis, and statistical methodology, 6) participating in community outreach and education, 7) focused research studies that will lead to independent investigations, and 8) training in grant writing and career development towards an independent research career in academic medicine or other research venue. Areas of research emphasis in AD/ADRD include neurophysiology; sleep; neurogenetics and transcriptomics; social determinants of health; bioinformatics utilizing electronic health records; structural, molecular, and functional neuroimaging; neuropathology; and molecular mechanisms in animal and patient-derived models of neurodegenerative disease. The program accepts applicants, with an MD, or equivalent degree, PhD, or MD/PhD. Graduates of the program are expected to make significant advances in disease mechanisms, biomarkers, and precise treatments and be future leaders in AD/ADRD research and care.

We encourage women and individuals from underrepresented ethnic and racial groups, historically marginalized groups, and disadvantaged backgrounds to apply. Applicants should send a CV, 2-page description of professional and research goals, and three reference contacts to Stephanie Jones at StephanieJones@mednet.ucla.edu.

Due date: June 1, 2023

Start date: July 2024

Behavioral Neurology Training Program

Please visit the UCLA Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry Fellowship webpage.