PRIMARY INVESTIGATOR
S. Duke Han, PhD, ABPP-CN
Email: dukehan@usc.edu
Duke Han, PhD, is a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology in Clinical Neuropsychology, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the National Academy of Neuropsychology, and a tenured Professor of Psychology, Family Medicine, Neurology, and Gerontology at the University of Southern California. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a specialization in Neuroscience from Duke University, and his PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Boston. He received training in clinical neuropsychology and experimental neuroimaging through various programs of Harvard Medical School's Brigham and Women's Hospital. He continued his clinical neuropsychology and neuroimaging activities during his clinical internship and postdoctoral fellowship years at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) and the San Diego VA Healthcare System. He maintains an active research collaboration with the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center (RADC) in Chicago where he was formerly a tenured faculty member.
Dr. Han is interested in factors that impact cognition and decision making in aging. He also has special interests in leveraging novel empirical approaches to better understand these factors, and in the advocacy for underserved and underrepresented people groups in aging and neuroscience research. In addition to directing his own extramurally-funded research lab, he serves as the Co-Leader of the Research and Education Core for the USC Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC), and the Editor-In-Chief of The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences. He was the recipient of the prestigious Paul B. Beeson fellowship, which is considered the premiere career development award of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and has been actively involved in the peer-review of aging and Alzheimer’s Disease research grants, including serving as the Chair of the NIA Clinical and Translational Research of Aging review committee (NIA-T) and the Neuroscience of Aging review committee (NIA-N). Dr. Han is a founding governance member of the Global Council on Brain Health, an international independent science collaborative convened by AARP that is tasked with offering the aging public the best advice about brain health. He is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), and was a member of the American Psychological Association (APA) Presidential Task Force on Neuropsychological Test Norming in Diverse Populations. Dr. Han has served as an oral examiner for the board certification process for the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN), was a former Co-Chair of the Dementia Special Interest Group (SIG) of the International Neuropsychological Society (INS). He currently holds multiple service or mentorship roles in the International Neuropsychological Society (INS), the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN), the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (AACN), the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (Division 40) of the APA, and the Asian Neuropsychological Association (ANA). His work has been featured in multiple media outlets, including Reuters, CBS, PBS, Forbes, Fox Business News, and U.S. News and World Report.
RESEARCH TEAM
Jenna Axelrod, PhD
Staff Scientist
Dr. Jenna Axelrod is an Adult Neuropsychologist and staff scientist in the lab. She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in neuropsychology from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, and she completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship with a neuropsychology emphasis at the Long Beach VA HealthCare System’s psychology internship program. While there, she dedicated part of her time to being a member of the Geriatric Evaluation and Management Team where she developed a deep appreciation for working with elderly populations. She also previously worked at the NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, IL where she conducted comprehensive evaluations of adults presenting with a wide range of neurologic and psychiatric conditions including dementia, traumatic brain injury, movement disorders, multiple sclerosis, stroke, depression, anxiety, and other condition that can impact cognitive functioning. Dr. Axelrod joined the Han Research Lab to help research factors that contribute to financial decision-making and susceptibility to scams.
Laura Fenton
Graduate Student
Laura is a PhD student in the Clinical Psychology Program at USC. She received her B.A. in Psychology from UC Berkeley and spent two years working as the lab manager of a neuroscience lab studying aging and dementia, before beginning graduate school. Laura’s research interests include early detection of neurodegenerative disease through the use of neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessment and the study of modifiable factors that can reduce dementia risk and promote successful aging. As part of her graduate program, Laura is also being trained in neuropsychological assessment and psychotherapy and has a specific interest in working with older adult populations.
Daisy Noriega-Makarskyy
Graduate Student
Daisy is a PhD student in the Clinical Psychology Program at USC. In 2019, she received her B.A. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience (BCN) from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. Before beginning graduate school, she spent two years at Massachusetts General Hospital working as a bilingual Clinical Research Coordinator for the Boston Latino Aging Study. Her research interests include understanding the biopsychosocial risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia, particularly in diverse groups through the use of biomarkers and culturally appropriate neuropsychological measurements.
Cassidy Molinare
Graduate Student
Cassidy is a PhD student in the Clinical Psychology Program at USC. She graduated from Providence College in 2022 with a B.A. in Psychology and Spanish. Before beginning graduate school, she spent two years working as a Research Assistant for the Boston Remote Assessment for NeuroCognitive Health (BRANCH) Study at Mass General Brigham. Her research interests include improving early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease using digital assessments and understanding risk factors that contribute to cognitive impairment in older adults.
Camille Erdman
Operations Manager
Camille is a recent graduate from USC where she earned her B.S. in Neuroscience. She is interested in the intersection between lifestyle and longevity and the important role that interpersonal connections play in health and well-being. As an aspiring physician, Camille’s hopes to help improve and maintain the quality of life in older adult populations. At the Han Research Lab, Camille is excited to gain experience in a research setting as well as learn about protecting older adults against financial vulnerability.
Jordan Williams
Project Assistant
Jordan T. Williams is a recent graduate of Columbia University, where she earned her MPH in Population and Family Health, following a B.A. in Health and Human Sciences from the University of Southern California. With aspirations to pursue an MD/PhD, she aims to bridge the gap between public health and medicine through addressing systemic barriers to well-being among institutionally oppressed groups. At the lab, Jordan is enthusiastic about contributing to a study tackling the public health challenges surrounding financial exploitation of aging adults, and the potential to inspire strategies to protect this vulnerable demographic from abuse and premature mortality.
Emma Oyen
Project Assistant
Emma Oyen is a recent graduate from Arizona State University where she earned her B.S. in Psychology and worked as a research assistant in a Behavioral Neuroscience lab. During her undergraduate education, she interned at Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix where she became passionate about working with older adults and understanding factors impacting cognition and brain health with aging. With aspirations to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology, she is interested in gaining hands on experience through the use of neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessment. At the Han Research lab at USC, Emma's research interests include studying factors that impact financial decision-making and the intersections of genetic and lifestyle factors impacting dementia risk.
Paige Kim
Project Assistant
Paige is a recent graduate of USC where she earned her B.A. in Health and Human Sciences. She is interested in investigating the variety of elder abuse risk factors and how they differ in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. As she continues her time at the Han Research Lab, she is interested in further gaining hands-on experience in understanding the methodology and research design behind the studies that identify risk factors. She hopes to apply this experience in the healthcare field by implementing preventive measures against elder abuse and developing treatments for its aftermath.
Camdyn Wu
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Camdyn is an undergraduate student at USC studying Cognitive Science. She is interested in research surrounding aging and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s. Through the Han Research Lab, she looks forward to gaining research experience and understanding the cognitive functions of older adults in combination with the common occurrences of financial decision-making. In the future, she plans to pursue a graduate degree in Gerontology, with the goal of beneficially impacting the daily lives of the growing older adult population.
Katie Jack
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Katie is an undergraduate student at USC studying Neuroscience. She is interested in the intersection of neuropsychology and social justice. During her time in the Han Research Lab, she plans to gain clinical research skills and learn more about how aging impacts decision making. In the future, she hopes to attend medical school and become a physician.
John Brow
Undergraduate Research Assistant
John is an undergraduate at USC working towards a degree in Psychology. He is interested in the pragmatic ways psychology relates to various fields, including gerontological issues. Through his time with the Han Research Lab, he hopes to gain valuable research experience that he can apply to his studies, as well as a better understanding of the impacts that aging has on neurology and subsequent decision-making. With plans to study public health, he hopes to help with associated challenges in the legal field.
Jimin Han
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Jimin is an undergraduate student at USC studying Psychology with a Minor in Health Care Studies. She is interested in studying how psychology plays a part in elderly people and how it impacts the ways decisions are made through a neuropsychological viewpoint. Through her time with the Han Research Lab, she hopes to better understand the differing cognitive functions in older adults and how it correlates with financial decision making abilities. Additionally, she is hoping to gain research experience while collaborating with the people around her with similar goals and interests. In the future, she plans to pursue medical school while utilizing the valuable skills and experiences gained from the lab working towards her goal of becoming a physician.
Sumiya Naksi
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Sumiya is an undergraduate student at USC pursuing a degree in Neuroscience and a Minor in Gerontology. She is interested in studying the theoretical processes behind emotional regulation and the biological markers that indicate how the subsequent mechanisms contribute to stress, trauma, and the development of cognitive diseases when aging. As a research assistant for the Han Research Lab, she is interested in contributing to the scientific community as well as expanding her knowledge of how the progression of cognitive diseases affects financial health within a collaborative and enriching environment. She will be able to apply this valuable experience in clinical research as she plans to obtain a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and Geriatrics with the goal of developing enhanced care for minority populations.
COLLABORATORS
Annie Nguyen, PhD, MPH
Associate Professor
UCSD Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science
Dr. Annie Nguyen is a public health scientist and an Associate Professor at the UCSD Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science. Her research focuses on the determinants of resilient aging and quality of life for people aging with chronic conditions. She has specific interests in the health and aging experiences of older adults from minority and underserved backgrounds including racial and sexual minorities. She was a NIH/NIA William Butlers Scholar and was part of the first cohort of scholars in the Sustained Training for HIV and Aging Research program. She is a past-Chair of the Aging and Public Health Section of the American Public Health Association and a past-President of the American Academy of Health Behavior. Dr. Nguyen’s research has been funded by the National Institute on Aging, and she maintains an active publication record.
Gali Weissberger, PhD
Senior Lecturer
Bar Ilan University in Israel
Dr. Gali Weissberger is a Senior Lecturer in the Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences at Bar Ilan University in Israel. She received her doctorate in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in neuropsychology from the San Diego State University and University of California, San Diego, Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology in 2015. She completed her pre-doctoral clinical internship with a neuropsychology emphasis at the VA Boston Healthcare System's psychology internship program. She also completed a two-year research fellowship at the West Los Angeles VA Hospital and a two-year T32 fellowship funded by the National Institute on Aging under the mentorship of Dr. Duke Han. Dr. Weissberger's research interests include understanding contextual factors that impact cognitive aging, decision making, and financial exploitation of older adults utilizing neuroimaging, neuropsychological, and behavioral techniques.
Han Lab Alumni
Assistant Professor
Annie Nguyen, PhD, MPH
2016-2023
Postdoctoral Scholars
Gali Weissberger, PhD
2017-2020
Jenna Axelrod, PhD
2019-2021
Medical Student Research Assistants
Devika Chandramohan
2020
Lara (Nikki) Windisch
2019
Morgan Goodman
2017-2019
Operations Managers
Caroline Nguyen
2016-2023
Jennifer Herrera
2022-2024
Project Assistants
Angela Wang
2021-2022
Nathan Wei
2022-2024
Undergraduate Research Assistants
Catherine Kim
2020-2023
Romano Orlando
2020-2022
Madison Nii
2020-2022
Cinamin Aalund
2019-2022
Kyle Xie
2019-2020
Emanuil Parunakian
2017-2020
Jacqueline Chen
2017-2019
Via Savage
2017
Shaneen Upal
2022-2024
Natalie Macias
2023-2024
Riddhi Mandavia
2022-2024
Aaron Lim, PhD
2021-2024