Sharyn
Rossi, PhD

Sharyn Rossi, PhD, received her doctorate in anatomy and neurobiology from the University of California, Irvine, where she studied stem cell replacement therapies for spinal cord injury. She went on to postdoctoral research at A.I. duPont Hospital for Children, investigating spinal muscular atrophy, and at Johns Hopkins University, where she used optogenetics to examine how transplanted stem cells integrate into brain circuitry after traumatic brain injury.

Prior to joining BrightFocus Foundation, Sharyn was a senior research scientist at the National Institute on Aging, applying neuroimaging, light-sheet microscopy, and novel interventions to study brain changes during normal cognitive aging.

At BrightFocus, she draws on her multidisciplinary expertise in central nervous system injury and mechanisms of aging to identify scientific connections that spark innovative collaborations and advance the field of Alzheimer’s disease research. She develops and oversees research initiatives, builds and maintains institutional partnerships, and fosters relationships with scientists and key stakeholders worldwide, while managing a diverse global portfolio.

Education & Training

PhD, Anatomy and Neurobiology, summa cum laude | University of California, Irvine

Bachelor of Science, Behavioral Neuroscience, summa cum laude | Northeastern University

Research & Selected Publications

Increased network functional connectivity in aged rhesus monkeys with cognitive impairment
Rossi, S.L., Bakker, A., Young, J.E., Herold, C., Gu, H., Lu, H., Yang, Y., Stein, E.A., Rapp, P.R. (In preparation).

Common features of neurodegenerative disease: exploring the brain-eye connection and beyond (part 1): the 2021 pre-symposium of the 15th international conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases

Rossi, S.L., Subramanian, P., Bu, G., Di Polo, A., Golde, T.E., Bovenkamp, D.E. (2022). Molecular Neurodegeneration, 17(1), 68. DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00570-8

Common features of neurodegenerative disease: exploring the brain-eye connection and beyond (part 2): the 2021 pre-symposium of the 15th international conference on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases
Rossi, S.L., Subramanian, P., Bu, G., Di Polo, A., Golde, T.E., Bovenkamp, D.E. (2022). Molecular Neurodegeneration, 17(1), 69. DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00571-7

Commentary: Global Alzheimer’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease related dementia research funding organizations support and engage the research community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
Myers, E.A., Amouyel, P., Bovenkamp, D.E., Carrillo, M.C., DeBuchy G.D., Dumont, M., Fillit, H., Friedman, L., Henderson-Begg, G., Hort, J., Murtishaw, A., Oakley, R., Panchal, M., Rossi, S.L., Sancho, R.M., Thienpont, L., Weidner, W., Snyder, H.M. (2022). Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 18(5), 1067– 1070. https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.12472

Recognition Memory is Associated with Distinct Patterns of Regional Gray Matter Volumes in Young and Aged Monkeys
Cooper, C.P., Shafer, A.T., Armstrong, N.M., Rossi, S.L., Young, J., Herold, C., Gu, H., Yang, Y., Stein, E.A., Resnick, S.M., Rapp, P.R. (2022). Cerebral Cortex, 32(5), 933–948, https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhab257

Differential Retinoic Acid Signaling in the Hippocampus of Aged Rats with and without Memory Impairment

Woloszynowska-Fraser, M.U., Rossi, S.L., Long, J.M., McCaffery, P.J., Rapp, P.R. (2021). eNeuro, 14:8(5). DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0120-21.2021

Cortical network dynamics are coupled with cognitive aging in rats
Myrum, C., Rossi, S.L., Perez, E.J., Rapp, P.R. (2019). Hippocampus, 1-13. DOI: 10.1002/hipo.23130