Olivia Kelly, a Ph.D. student in the lab of Heidi Hamm, has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 JKL Wellness Award. Established in 2023, the JKL Wellness Fund was created to support doctoral and postdoctoral trainees conducting research on non-drug-based interventions for maintaining or restoring wellness to prevent cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or prostate disease. This kind of preventative research includes understanding disease mechanisms and developing strategies involving diet, exercise, or mental health changes to impact disease development.
Kelly’s winning proposal, “Characterizing the role of protease activated receptor 4 in Alzheimer’s disease vascular pathology,” aims to investigate the role of the G protein-coupled receptor PAR4 in circulatory system–related pathology in AD. She will receive $5,000 for research-related expenses, professional development, and/or research-related travel.
The overarching goal of her project is to advance the understanding of how PAR4 and associated vascular dysfunction may contribute to the development and progression of AD. Recent evidence suggests that vascular dysregulation and cerebrovascular abnormalities may contribute to the neuroinflammation and cognitive decline observed in AD. Kelly’s research has the potential to inform future non-pharmacological interventions targeting vascular health, like dietary adjustments, as a means of AD prevention and treatment.
“I look forward to using the JKL Wellness Award to further my research on an under-researched contributor of AD pathophysiology. With so much focus over the past several decades on amyloid-beta and tau as drivers of AD, I am aiming to investigate another molecular target that may be implicated in development of this disease,” Kelly said. “The JKL Wellness award will allow me to disseminate my findings, gain a broader perspective on neurodegenerative disease, and pave the way for development of novel therapeutics.”
Kelly’s exceptional research background was complemented by her innovative proposal and commitment to advancing our understanding of AD. Hamm, the Aileen M. Lange and Annie Mary Lyle Professor of Cardiovascular Research and professor of pharmacology, highlighted her exceptional qualifications, research experience, and potential as a young scientist.
Hamm and Chuck Sanders, vice dean of the School of Medicine Basic Sciences and professor of biochemistry, are confident that her work will make significant contributions to the field and provide new avenues for improving outcomes for those affected by this devastating neurodegenerative disorder.
Kelly also participates in the ASPIRE Path in Molecular Medicine, contributes to monthly meetings of the pharmacology diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging committee, and is a member of the Vanderbilt Commodore Orchestra, where she plays the viola.