Meet the Team

Judy Pa, PhD

Director

Dr. Judy Pa, PhD joins UCSD as the Director of the ADCS and Professor of Neurosciences. She will hold the Shiley Endowed Chair of Alzheimer’s Disease Research, in honor of Dr. Leon Thal, the founding director of the ADCS.

Dr. Pa has 20 years of human neuroimaging experience and directs a research lab focused on Alzheimer’s prevention and risk factors. She joins us most recently from USC in which she was Project Leader of their Program Project Grant on Vascular Contributions to Alzheimer’s disease, Imaging Core Co-Leader of their Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and Co-Director of the USC SMART-VR Center.

One branch of her research program is developing and testing new multi-domain combination interventions using technology, such as virtual reality and remote activity monitoring, with the goal of preserving brain health and cognition.

Dr. Pa is currently the Principal Investigator of 2 ongoing National Institutes of Health behavioral intervention trials with a focus on physical and cognitive activities. She also leads a research program on big data approaches to investigate the interplay between biological sex and APOE genotype, two key risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Pa is an internationally recognized leader in lifestyle-based interventions for brain health and whose research has been featured on MSNBC, US News, Larry King Live, and the Hallmark Channel with Maria Shriver. She is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of scientific leaders, early career researchers, graduate students, and data enthusiasts.

In her non-science time, Dr. Pa spends time with her husband, 2 kids, and labrador retriever on the ski slopes.

James B. Brewer, MD, PhD

Director, Imaging Core

Dr. Brewer received his graduate and medical training at Stanford University and his neurology residency training at Johns Hopkins University. He joined the Department of Neurosciences in 2004, in a joint recruitment of the Departments of Neurosciences and Radiology, and is a leading investigator at the interdisciplinary Multimodal Imaging Laboratory.

Dr. Brewer’s primary research interest is human memory. He uses functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study memory processes in volunteers with healthy memory and in patients with memory impairment, such as cases caused by Alzheimer’s disease.

This research focuses on the medial temporal lobe of the brain, which shows selective damage early in the course of Alzheimer’s disease. The overarching aim is to better understand the memory function of distinct medial temporal lobe substructures and the nature of the interaction between those substructures and other brain regions.

Dr. Brewer was one of the first researchers to show that functional MRI can identify distinct activations within the medial temporal lobe. He and colleagues were the first to use event-related fMRI to identify brain activity directly related to the process of forming memories.

Dr. Brewer also teaches neurosciences and neurology to graduate students, medical students, and residents. He participates as a lecturer in courses on fMRI and memory, assists in neuroanatomy instruction, and is an active participant in the Neurosciences Graduate Program.

He is Co-Director of the UCSD Neurology Residents’ Clinic at the VA San Diego Healthcare System and is an attending physician at the UCSD and VA Medical Centers.

Hyunkeun Ryan Cho, PhD

Director, Biostatistics Core

Dr. Hyunkeun (Ryan) Cho joined the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study as the Director of the Biostatistics Core in January 2025, while also holding joint faculty appointments in the Department of Neuroscience and the Division of Biostatistics at UC San Diego.

With a deep-seated passion for collaborative research and education, Dr. Cho is actively involved in several NIH R01 grants, as well as grants from the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, demonstrating his wide-ranging collaborative efforts across multiple disciplines, including clinical trials.

Before his tenure at UCSD, Dr. Cho was a faculty member at the University of Iowa, where he developed expertise in longitudinal and functional data analysis, causal inference, and machine learning, focusing on neurodegenerative diseases, aging, and mental health disorders.

His research employs innovative biostatistical methods to tackle complex research questions in both observational studies and clinical trials, enhancing our understanding of disease progression and treatment outcomes.

Dr. Cho is also a committed educator whose educational endeavors are driven by a love for teaching and mentoring, shaping the next generation of researchers in biostatistics and neuroscience.

Howard Feldman, MD, FRCP

Howard Feldman, MD, FRCP (C) served as Director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study for 10 years from 2016–2026. He is a clinical neurologist and Professor of Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego. He holds the Epstein Family Chancellor’s Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease Research.

Dr. Feldman came to the ADCS after serving as Executive Associate Dean for Research at the University of British Columbia as well as Director of the Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Clinic at UBC. He continues to hold an appointment as an Affiliate Professor with UBC.

Dr. Feldman has made vital contributions in scientific discoveries and clinical research studies focused on aging, mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia, and diagnostic and therapeutic trials.

He contributed to the discoveries of the progranulin and C9ORF72 genetic mutations which cause frontotemporal dementia and frontotemporal dementia with motor neuron disease.

He has led a number of international clinical trials in Alzheimer’s disease resulting in important original data and informing care across the continuum of the disease.

From 2009–2011, Dr. Feldman took a leave from his academic appointment at UBC to take on a senior leadership role as therapeutic area head for neuroscience global clinical research at Bristol-Myers Squibb.

Douglas Galasko, MD

Dr. Galasko is a neurologist and Professor in the Department of Neurosciences at the University of California, San Diego.

His clinical practice and research interests focus on the diagnosis and treatment of people with neurodegenerative disorders, in particular Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and Lewy Body dementia.

He has helped to develop biomarkers to diagnose and track progression in these disorders, initially using cerebrospinal fluid tests and more recently blood tests. He has also helped study and validate seed amplification assays for alpha-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies.

He is Associate Director of the NIA-funded Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and codirects the Clinical and Biomarker Cores. He has contributed to over 600 research publications.

His research has been funded by the National Institute on Aging, Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, the State of California, and The Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Don Guterwill

Director, Clinical Monitoring

As Director of Clinical Monitoring, Mr. Guterwill oversees all ADCS clinical monitoring operations and personnel. He is responsible for the coordination of monitoring activities for all ADCS clinical trials, including start-up, launch, maintenance, and closure.

Additional responsibilities include protocol review for potential implementation of risk-based and remote monitoring plans. He also chairs centralized monitoring review teams and prepares investigator and clinical monitor training materials.

Mr. Guterwill’s clinical research experience spans 30 years in neurosciences, infectious disease, oncology, vaccinology, urology, gastroenterology, and pain management.

His experience includes more than 22 years of global clinical trial management and management of more than 30 phase 1–4 clinical trials.

Leticia Hu

Director, Finance & Administration

Leticia Hu is the ADCS Finance Director. She is responsible for oversight of ADCS financial operations and budget planning.

She has built a long and distinguished career within UCSD and has gained extensive experience in financial management and research administration. Leticia was the first recipient of the Executive Vice Chancellor Management Fellowship under the mentorship of Senior Associate Vice Chancellor Steven Ross.

She played key roles in campus-wide initiatives and served in various Department Business Officer roles within Academic Affairs.

Leticia is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in Development Studies and a minor in Business Administration.

She is trilingual, fluent in Cantonese, Spanish, and English, and is passionate about helping the community.

Diane Jacobs, PhD

Director, Outcomes Measurement

Dr. Diane Jacobs is a neuropsychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosciences at the University of California San Diego.

She is involved in multiple aspects of ADCS clinical trials, providing expertise on the selection, implementation, analysis, and interpretation of cognitive and behavioral outcomes.

Dr. Jacobs advises trial leadership and ADCS teams on all aspects of neuropsychological and behavioral testing throughout the course of an ADCS trial, from protocol development to reporting of results. She also oversees the training and certification of cognitive raters at participating sites.

In addition to her role at the ADCS, Dr. Jacobs is co-leader of the Clinical Core at the UCSD Shiley-Marcos ADRC and Principal Investigator of a lab that develops and validates novel approaches for assessing cognition in aging and dementia.

Jeff Kaye, MD

ADCS Associate Director

Dr. Kaye is a professor of neurology and biomedical engineering. For over twenty-five years, he has engaged in brain aging and dementia research focused on maintaining brain health and identifying effective therapies.

He has collaboratively designed and completed studies enrolling thousands of individuals across a full spectrum of designs, from major longitudinal community cohort studies to novel proof-of-concept, “n-of-one” high-frequency data capture protocols.

Dr. Kaye has worked with many national and international research organizations serving in key leadership roles, including ADCS Associate Director, Chair of the International Society to Advance Alzheimer’s Research & Treatment, and PI of CART.

The Oregon Center for Aging & Technology and CART, which Dr. Kaye leads, use and develop technologies that assess everyday home-based activities, providing millions of hours of real-world and real-time activity and health data.

Andrea LaCroix, PhD

Director, Recruitment & Communications

Dr. LaCroix is Professor and Chief of Epidemiology in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego. She is also Director of the Women’s Health Center of Excellence at UCSD.

She has an extensive research program devoted to studies on factors associated with healthy aging in older women and men and has conducted numerous randomized clinical trials and observational studies.

Prior to joining UCSD in October 2013, Dr. LaCroix was Co-Principal Investigator of the Women’s Health Initiative Clinical Coordinating Center at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Her work within the Women’s Health Initiative includes evaluating the long-term effects of hormone therapy and calcium/Vitamin D supplementation on chronic disease outcomes.

She received her doctoral degree in epidemiology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in cardiovascular disease at Johns Hopkins University.

Gabriel Léger, MD

Director, Medical Safety

Dr. Gabriel Léger completed his training in clinical neurology at the Montreal Neurological Institute of McGill University, where he also performed research in imaging of neurodegenerative diseases.

He completed clinical fellowships in Movement Disorders at McGill and in Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology at Northwestern University.

He has participated in numerous clinical trials targeting the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders and has a special interest and expertise in atypical and focal dementias.

He joined the Neurosciences faculty at UCSD as an Associate Professor in July 2018. His work continues to involve direct patient care, clinical trials, and clinical trial medical safety.

Dr. Léger has been Director of the ADCS Medical Safety Core since January 2021.

Jody-Lynn Lupo, MSc.

Director, Clinical Operations

Jody-Lynn is the Director of Clinical Operations. She directs operation of ADCS clinical trials and is responsible for the overall management and success of clinical operations.

She oversees project management and provides overall supervision, mentorship, and training to project managers, project coordinator assistants, and other clinical operations staff.

Ms. Lupo is a graduate of McGill University, earning a Master of Science degree in Psychiatry, and has more than 15 years of experience in clinical and research settings with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

She joined the ADCS in 2019 as a scientific medical and protocol writer and has served in various roles including Special Projects and Strategic Initiatives team lead.

Andy MacKelfresh, MBA

Director, Informatics & Data Management

Andy is the Director of the Data Management and Informatics Cores. He provides strategic oversight of the generation of data-centric solutions that enable ADCS clinical research objectives.

Andy is a computer scientist and business professional. He comes to the ADCS with 20 years in academia through two tours at Duke University.

In between tours, he worked at a pharmaceutical company, contract research organization, and ran a consultancy, garnering a well-rounded set of experiences.

Andy is passionate about advancing health science endeavors and bringing his skills to bear in efforts to tackle Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

Anthony Molina, PhD

Director, Data Sharing

Dr. Molina is a Professor of Medicine at UC San Diego and Scientific Director of the Stein Institute for Research on Aging and the UC San Diego Center for Healthy Aging.

He holds the Ben and Wanda Hildyard Endowed Chair for Mitochondrial and Metabolic Diseases and serves as Research Chief of the Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology, and Palliative Care.

Dr. Molina leads a translational and clinical research program focused on advancing evidence-based interventions that promote healthy longevity and improve precision healthcare for older adults.

His team works to identify factors influencing cognitive and physical function with advancing age, develop more accurate diagnostic and prognostic tools, discover strategies that enhance human resilience, and build resources that accelerate aging research.

Carolyn Revta, MPH

Executive Operations Lead

Carolyn began her career in clinical trials research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Hematologic Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant.

She joined UCSD in 2012, serving as Clinical Trials Project Manager and Clinical Trials Operations Director at the Moores Cancer Center for several disease areas.

In April 2016, Ms. Revta joined the ADCS team and has served in multiple roles including Clinical Operations Core Director, Special Projects and Strategic Initiatives team lead, and Executive Operations Lead.

In her current role, Ms. Revta provides leadership to ADCS Clinical Operations, Regulatory & Quality Management, Monitoring, and Special Project teams to streamline operations and ensure effective coordination across the organization.

David Salmon, PhD

Dr. Salmon is Distinguished Professor in Residence in the Department of Neurosciences at UCSD and Associate Director of the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

Dr. Salmon received his Ph.D. in Biopsychology from Rutgers University in 1984 and completed postdoctoral training in Animal and Human Neuropsychology at UCSD in 1986.

He has been affiliated with the ADRC since its inception in 1984. Dr. Salmon served as chair of the ADCS Cognitive Scales subcommittee from 1996–2015 and as interim Principal Investigator of the ADCS in 2007.

His research focuses on the neural basis of memory and cognition examined through psychological and neurological analysis of cognitive deficits associated with diverse dementing disorders.

Mary Sano, PhD

ADCS Associate Director

Dr. Sano is a neuropsychologist by training and has been involved in designing and conducting observational studies and clinical trials in aging, cognitive loss, and dementia for over 20 years.

She has directed the development of behavioral and neuropsychological assessments as outcomes for clinical research studies and overseen translation for inclusion of Spanish speakers and other non-native English speakers.

Dr. Sano has worked with the ADCS since its inception and directed the first ADCS multicenter trial of vitamin E and Selegiline.

In addition to her role as ADCS Associate Director, she has led ADCS minority recruitment and pharmaco-economic initiatives.

Lon Schneider, MD

ADCS Associate Director

Dr. Schneider is professor of psychiatry, neurology, and gerontology and holds the Della Martin Chair in Psychiatry and Neuroscience at USC.

He has considerable expertise in clinical trials methods, instruments and rating scales for dementia trials, meta-analyses, and drug development.

He is internationally recognized in clinical drug development for Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive disorders and has led numerous clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment therapeutics.

In addition to his role as ADCS Associate Director, he has served as Chair of the ADCS Instruments Committee since 2017.