By Kat Procyk
Rebecca Thurston, Pittsburgh Foundation Professor of Women’s Health and Dementia, professor of psychiatry, director of the Center for Women’s Biobehavioral Health Research, and assistant dean of women’s health research, School of Medicine, was one of 18 researchers selected for Wellcome Leap’s $50 million Cutting Alzheimer’s Risk through Endocrinology (CARE) program as part of its global team.
The CARE program aims to reduce the lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s disease among women by half, reducing the risk for 330 million women globally. To do so, the new program is focused on the intersection of menopause, neuroendocrine changes and neurodegeneration to identify personalized preventive strategies and treatments for women. This approach uses an individualized medicine framework—leveraging biomarkers, advanced imaging and genetic profiling—to tailor interventions to the specific needs of women at risk for Alzheimer’s disease due to neuroendocrine aging.
“It’s an honor to be among and working alongside these trailblazers in women’s brain health,” said Thurston, also professor of epidemiology, School of Public Health; of psychology, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences; and of clinical and translational science. “Two-thirds of those with Alzheimer’s disease are women, so this is a major women’s health issue. Together, I believe we can lend critical insights into women’s brain health at midlife and beyond and ultimately, help prevent this devastating disease that impacts so many women.”
Thurston is recognized globally as a leader in the field of women’s health, particularly in the areas of menopause, cardiovascular disease and brain aging in women. Her research primarily focuses on how these prevalent and interrelated health issues can profoundly affect women’s lives.