
Our Team
Current Members
Anna Smith
- Lab Manager
Anna Smith is a Lab Manager for the ADAPT imaging lab. She graduated from New York University in 2021 with a major in neuroscience and minor in psychology. She currently focuses on data analysis as well as recruitment and participant visits for the lab. Anna is working on her own project titled, "Tau burden is associated with sleep disordered breathing in adults with Down syndrome" which was presented at AAIC 2023. In her free time, she enjoys laying in a hammock in the park and reading.
Diana S. Guzmán
- Lab Manager
Diana Guzmán (she/her) is a Lab Manager in the ADAPT Imaging Lab (formerly the Kreisl Lab). She graduated from Gettysburg College in 2020 with a bachelor's degree in Health Science and Peace and Justice Studies. In her role, Diana ensures regulatory compliance for all lab research by coordinating with the Institutional Review Board (IRB), the FDA, and the Joint Radiation Safety Committee (JRSC). She also manages research participant appointments in both English and Spanish, administering neuropsychological test batteries and overseeing neuroimaging visits.
Diana is leading two projects. The first, Differential Association of Moderate Alcohol Use with Neurodegeneration, Cerebrovascular Disease, and Cognition by Racial, Ethnic, and Sex/Gender Groups in Middle Age, was presented at the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). The second, Regional Amyloid and Tau: Exploring Regional Sex-Based Differences in a Middle-Aged Community-Based Cohort, will be presented at the Human Amyloid Imaging (HAI) Conference in 2025.
Currently enrolled in Columbia University’s premedical post-baccalaureate program, Diana plans to apply to medical school. Outside of work, Diana enjoys traveling, practicing yoga, and spending time with friends.
Hannah Houlihan
- Research Assistant
Hannah Houlihan (she/her) is a research assistant in the ADAPT imaging lab. She graduated from the University of Delaware in 2022 with a major in neuroscience and minor in cognitive science. She focuses on running participant visits as well as image data analysis.
Hannah is working on her own project titled, "Microglia density measured by TSPO PET across amyloid positivity and clinical variants" which was presented at AAIC 2024. She will also be presenting "Annual percent change of microglia density in relation to tau accumulation in older adults" at the Human Amyloid Imaging (HAI) Conference in 2025.
Hannah hopes to continue onto a neuroscience PhD program in the future. In her free time, she enjoys listening to music, going to the beach, and going hiking.
Thairi Sanchez
- Research Assistant
Thairi Sanchez (she/her) is a research assistant at the ADAPT imaging lab. She was born and raised in New York City with a strong Dominican heritage. She graduated from Gettysburg College in 2024 with a bachelor's degree in biology. Thairi currently focuses on coordinating participant visits in English and Spanish and fostering connections with participants. She plans to pursue a nursing degree or graduate degree in public health in the future. In her free time, Thairi loves traveling and exploring new restaurants, always eager to learn about new cultures.
Andrea Maldonado
- Research Assistant
Andrea Maldonado (she/her) is a Research Assistant for the ADAPT imaging lab. She graduated from Loyola University Maryland in 2024 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and forensic studies. Andrea focuses on assisting participant visits in both English and Spanish, as well as assisting in data processing for lab studies. Andrea hopes to continue onto a psychology PhD program in the future, In her free time, she enjoys exploring new cities, listening to music, and reading.
Catherine Palacios
- Research Assistant
Catherine Palacios (she/her) is a Research Assistant at the ADAPT Imaging Lab. Originally from Guatemala, she graduated from New York University in 2024 with a degree in Applied Psychology and a minor in Sociology. In her role, Catherine helps with participant visits in both English and Spanish and supports data processing for the lab’s research studies. She plans to pursue a PhD in Clinical Psychology in the future. Outside of work, Catherine enjoys attending concerts, cooking, and traveling.
Aubrey S. Johnson
- Lab Consultant
Aubrey Johnson is currently a consultant for the Alzheimer's Disease and PET (ADAPT) imaging lab. She was formerly the Clinical Research Program Manager, but is now pursing her M.D. at New York Medical College. She graduated from Smith College in 2018 with a double major in neuroscience and dance. Currently Aubrey has two projects within the ADAPT lab: “Differential acquisition of 18F-Florbetaben imaging” and “Racial differences in MK6240 off target binding.” She has also coauthored 14 other papers and presentations during her six years with the ADAPT (formerly Kreisl) Lab. Her first authored paper ,"Psychotic symptoms are associated with elevated tau PET signal in the amygdala independent of Alzheimer's disease clinical severity and amyloid burden" is currently under review for publication.
Daniel Talmasov, MD
- Study Physician and Clinical Fellow
Daniel Talmasov is a physician-neuroscientist with dual training in neurology and psychiatry. Dr. Talmasov’s research applies core neurologic principles to understand how distinct and stereotyped clusters of psychiatric symptoms emerge from the interactions of specific disease processes and neuroanatomic networks subserving human behavior. Dr. Talmasov’s work in the ADAPT lab aims to clarify how clinical heterogeneity in the psychiatric manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease relates to the relative burdens of proteinopathy, atrophy, and inflammation in the brains of affected individuals.
Dr. Talmasov trained in psychiatry at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital / Harvard Medical School program, and in Neurology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Dr. Talmasov is presently a clinical fellow in Columbia’s Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry fellowship program and concurrently a T32 research fellow in late-life neuropsychiatric disorders.William C. Kreisl, MD
- Founder and Consultant
Dr. William Kreisl founded the precursor to the ADAPT lab in 2016 when he submitted his junior researcher grant to begin studying PET within Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias at Columbia. He then applied for further funding to start the two major studies currently enrolling. Dr. Kreisl has since moved on from academia but remains involved in the ADAPT lab as a consultant.
Patrick Lao, PhD
- Principal Investigator
Patrick Lao is an assistant professor in the neurology department at Columbia University. He obtained his PhD at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where his thesis work focused on PET imaging, including performing radiochemistry for studies of Alzheimer’s disease. He completed his postdoctoral training at Columbia University, incorporating vascular MRI into studies of Alzheimer’s disease. His research interests include understanding how contextual factors, like sleep and psychosocial stressors, impact the complex disease course.
Former Lab Members
Lauren Heuer
- Research Assistant
Amara Okafor
- Research Assistant
Currently pursuing an MD.
Samantha M. Rossano, PhD
- Post-Doctoral Fellow
Galen Ziaggi
- Research Coordinator
Currently pursuing a Masters.
Andrew E. Roetman
- Research Assistant
Currently pursuing a PhD.
Zeljko Tomljanovic
- Research Coordinator
Julia Klein
- Research Assistant
Elena Golub
- Research Assistant