People

Julia is a research coordinator in Dr. Joel Kramer’s lab working on the Brain Aging Network for Cognitive Health and Mechanisms of Executive Decline studies, as well as supporting Dr. Kaitlin Casaletto’s new study investigating women’s reproductive health and aging. She graduated from UC Davis with a BS in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior in 2025.

Jessica is a research coordinator in Dr. Joel Kramer’s lab working primarily on the MarkVCID study. She graduated with a BA degree in Neurobiology from UC Berkeley in May of 2024 and hopes to continue pursuing her interests in neurodegenerative diseases as well as becoming a neurosurgeon.

Claire is a postdoctoral fellow in neuropsychology at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center under the mentorship of Associate Professor Kaitlin Casaletto. Her research interests involve the role of lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, in supporting healthy brain ageing and protecting against neurodegenerative disease. Originally from New Zealand, she completed her PhD (Clinical Neuropsychology) at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

Lana is a research coordinator in Dr. Joel Kramer’s lab working primarily on the Active Mind Clinical Trial as well as the Brain Aging Network for Cognitive Health study and the Mechanisms of Executive Decline study. She graduated with a BS degree in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior from UC Davis in June 2022.

Coty is a research coordinator for Dr. Kaitlin Casaletto’s Activities for Aging Neurogenesis study, an intervention-based study investigating the relationship between lifestyle factors and protein markers of neural functioning. She graduated with a BS degree in Clinical Psychology from UC San Diego.

Valentina joined Dr. Joel Kramer’s lab as a research coordinator in September of 2021 and works primarily on the Healthy Brain Aging study as well as the Mechanisms of Executive Decline study. She graduated with a BA degree in Neurobiology from UC Berkeley in May of 2021 and has interests in neurodegenerative disorders with plans of becoming a neurosurgeon.

Shubir Dutt, PhD, is a neuropsychology postdoctoral fellow at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center. He completed his PhD degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Southern California in 2023. Shubir’s research leverages structural/functional neuroimaging and biofluid markers to examine cerebrovascular factors impacting cognitive aging and neurodegenerative disease, as well as the role of brainstem nuclei in preclinical detection and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

Sophia is a research coordinator in Dr. Joel Kramer’s lab working primarily on the Brain Aging Network for Cognitive Health study and the Mechanisms of Executive Decline study. She graduated with a BA degree in Integrative Biology from UC Berkeley in 2024.

Carina is a research coordinator in Dr. Joel Kramer’s Healthy Aging lab. She works primarily on the Brain Aging Network for Cognitive Health study and the Mechanisms of Executive Decline study. Carina graduated with a BS degree in Biology from Tufts University in May 2023.

Emily Paolillo, PhD, is a neuropsychology fellow at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center working under the mentorship of Dr. Kaitlin Casaletto. She obtained her PhD in Clinical Psychology (emphasis in Neuropsychology) from the SDSU/UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in 2021, which included a predoctoral clinical internship at VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Her research interests include evaluating digital health tools for early detection and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.