Clinical Trials

Eden received a BS degree in Biological Sciences from UC Irvine and a PhD in Neuroscience from UC Davis. Her doctoral work broadly focused on learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity. Now, as a member of the Boxer Lab, she is interested in facilitating more equitable and inclusive research of neurodegenerative disorders.

Rituja Bhowmik is an assistant clinical research coordinator at the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center, part of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. She joined the clinical trials team in 2025.

Rituja earned a Bachelor of Science in nutrition and metabolic biology from the University of California, Berkeley, in 2025. As an undergraduate, she conducted laboratory research culminating in an honors thesis on transcription in the human placenta, which strengthened her interest in basic science.

Betsy Boyce serves as research administrative coordinator, providing administrative support to Hilary Heuer, PhD, for the ARTFL-LEFFTDS Longitudinal Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (ALLFTD) study, a multicenter research initiative advancing the understanding of frontotemporal lobar degeneration.

Nhật Bùi earned her master’s degree in nursing at UCSF in 2016. She is certified as an adult-gerontology nurse practitioner by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). At the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center, Nhật assists with the Alzheimer’s Dementia Research Center and clinical trial projects by conducting patient assessments and caregiver interviews for observational research studies and clinical drug trials.

Maya Douglas is a clinical research coordinator at the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center, part of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. She is a member of the clinical trials team, helping coordinate research studies focused on neurodegenerative diseases and supporting participants throughout the research process.

Maya earned a Bachelor of Arts in molecular and cell biology, with a concentration in neurobiology, from the University of California, Berkeley. She plans to pursue a career in health care, specializing in neurology.

Tara is a clinical research coordinator working with Lawren VandeVrede, MD, PhD, at the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center, part of the Weill Institute for Neurosciences. She supports clinical research focused on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, helping coordinate studies aimed at improving the diagnosis, understanding, and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Brianna has joined the Boxer Trials team as an assistant clinical research coordinator. She graduated from the University of San Francisco in 2022 and is originally from Orange County, California. Brianna brings valuable experience in neuroscience research, including studying the mechanisms underlying sleep in zebrafish, and previously worked at Genentech in the Protein Analytical Chemistry department. She is excited to be part of the clinical trials team at the Memory and Aging Center, where she aims to help advance access to treatments for patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Aditi Hedaoo earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan, where she developed a strong interest in neurodegenerative disease research and patient-centered care. While at Michigan, she conducted research in the Kratz Lab, studying sleep, cognition, and daily functioning in people living with multiple sclerosis (MS). In 2026, she joined the clinical trials team at the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center, part of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences.

Alex earned his degree from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, where he specialized in the epidemiology of chronic diseases. He is passionate about advancing health care literacy and empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their well-being.

Outside of work, Alex enjoys running around Lake Merritt in Oakland, exploring new music, and hiking and camping in the great outdoors.