Leadership
Dr. J. Carson Smith
Director and Principal Investigator
Dr. Smith graduated summa cum laude with a double major in Psychology and Exercise Science from Arizona State University. He went on to complete his doctoral degree in Kinesiology at the University of Georgia, and then a post-doctoral fellowship in Affective Neuroscience at the University of Florida. Dr. Smith is focused on understanding how exercise and physical activity, from single sessions of exercise to long-term exercise training, affect human brain function and mental health. Dr. Smith’s investigations use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neuropsychological testing to examine brain function in older adults. Dr. Smith, his team of investigators, and collaborators are interested in the potential efficacy for exercise to affect brain function and memory in healthy older adults at increased genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease, as well as in patients diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI).
Graduate Students
Daniel Callow
Doctoral Student (NACS)
Daniel is a first year doctoral student in the Neuroscience and Cognitive Program and enjoys running, playing soccer, and cooking. His research interests include using multimodal imaging techniques to ask questions about how lifestyle choices, such as exercise, diet, electronic use, and sleep, impact structural and functional networks of the aging brain. To date, he has primarily used diffusion tensor imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques to elucidate these relationships.
Gabriel Pena
Doctoral Student (Kines)
Gabe is a Ph.D. student in the E4BH lab and the department of Kinesiology at the University of Maryland. He is broadly interested in investigating the interactions between peripheral body systems and Neurodegeneration / cognitive decline, and whether lifestyle behaviors play a moderating role. Prior to joining the E4BH lab, Gabe completed his undergraduate and master’s degree at Florida Atlantic University under the guidance of Drs. Michael Whitehurst and Andy Khamoui where he was involved in projects related to Alzheimer’s Disease, cancer cachexia, and obesity.
Yash Kommula
Doctoral Student (NACS)
Staff
Naomi Arnold
Study Coordinator
Naomi is the Study Coordinator for the NIH-funded grant, “Exercise in the Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease.” Naomi’s interests and experiences are multi-faceted. Her academic background is in Psychology and Music. She is passionate about understanding the etiology of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and studying the impact of music and exercise on neuroplasticity, as it pertains to AD. She is a classically trained pianist, composer, instructor; has recorded and released two albums, and performs both nationally and internationally.
Debora Hein
Community Site Coordinator
Stephen Shields
Undergraduate Students
Alyza Berson
Aron Myers
Grace Gaynor
Community Site Exercise Instructors
Travis Belton
Graduate Student Alumni
Junyeon Won
Dissertation Title:
Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Basal Forebrain Cholinergic Networks In Older
Adults
Lauren Weiss
Dissertation Title:
Associations of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Physical Activity with Brain Structure and Large-Scale Functional Networks: Examining the Influence of Depression
Kirsten Peterman
Thesis title:
Will There Be A Season? The Impact Of Covid-19 On Anxiety Within NCAA Student Athletes Compared To Non-Athlete University Students
Dr. Alfonso Alfini
Dissertation Title:
The Impact of Acute Exercise and Sleep Quality on Executive Function: The Potential Mediating Effects of Functional Connectivity in Older Adults
Dr. Theresa Chirles
Dissertation Title:
Functional Connectivity Patterns Associated with Aging, Physical Activity, and Genetic Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease in Healthy Human Brain Networks
