Dr. Sanz Simon is an Associate Research Scientist at the Cognitive Neuroscience Division, Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC). She earned a Ph.D. in Psychiatry from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, with concentration in Geriatric Psychiatry and emphasis in Neuropsychology. She completed a graduate research fellowship in Neuropsychiatry at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and a postdoctoral research fellowship in Cognitive Aging/Neuropsychology at Columbia University. Her research endeavors include identifying factors of reserve and resilience to cognitive aging and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia (AD/ADRD) in diverse, underrepresented, and underserved populations, with a keen focus on Brazilian/Latinx communities. Dr. Sanz Simon’s research has also focused on developing culturally informed non-pharmacological interventions to boost cognitive functioning, promote health-related behaviors, and ultimately promote dementia prevention and quality of life. In her intervention studies, she has been dedicated to integrating technology into clinical trials considering the needs of different populations. Additionally, Dr. Sanz Simon is committed to empowering communities and promoting health equity through community-engaged research and innovative community-academic partnerships. At present, Dr. Sanz Simon is the principal investigator of a community-based study focused on sociocultural/lifestyle factors that contribute to AD/ADRD risk among Brazilian immigrants living in the New York City metropolitan area. She is also the principal investigator of an NIA-funded digital clinical trial aimed at enhancing multitasking abilities in older adults (K99/R00 award). Dr. Sanz Simon’s work has been recognized with honors and awards, as she is a recipient of two awards from the International Neuropsychological Society (Laird S. Cermak and Nelson Butters Awards) and is a recipient of competitively funded career development awards on aging research (i.e., Butler-William Scholars Program – NIA), and clinical trials methodology (i.e., IMPACT-AD).
Columbia University Irving Medical Center