The Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) and the Office of the Vice Dean for Population Health and Health Equity at UCSF support annual equity awards to catalyze innovative research and the implementation of projects related to brain health and underserved communities. Award-winning research projects have focused on homelessness, dementia assessment in diverse populations, the impact of socioeconomic status on brain health, and the engagement of underrepresented populations in clinical practice and research. To date, the Memory and Aging Center, through GBHI and this award mechanism, has committed more than $100,000 to early-career faculty working in this vital area of our shared mission. 

Recent award winners Elena Tsoy and Tanisha Hill-Jarrett will talk about their research projects during the Population Health and Brain Health Equity Scholars Lecture.

Objectives 

• Critically analyze the challenges and successes of effective adaptation of tools for diverse populations in underserved communities. 
• Explore innovative strategies for engaging diverse populations in brain health initiatives, with a focus on novel opportunities and inclusive approaches. 
• Recognize and evaluate the Memory and Aging Center's commitment to community-engaged research, emphasizing its impact and contribution to addressing health disparities in underserved communities. 

Speakers: 

• Serggio Lanata, Assistant Professor of Neurology: Approach to Community-Engaged Research at the UCSF Memory and Aging Center 
• Elena Tsoy, Assistant Professor of Neuropsychology: Psychometric and Ecological Validity of Neuropsychological Assessment in Diverse Older Adults (2023 award) 
• Tanisha Hill-Jarrett, Assistant Professor of Neurology: “What we don’t see, we assume can’t be”: Black women’s experience of healthcare and possible brain health futures using Afrofuturism and digital storytelling (2024 award) 
• Bruce Miller, Founding Director, GBHI, University of California, San Francisco will speak and moderate the session 

Resources 
GBHI Equity Awards 
UCSF Population Health and Health Equity Scholars Award