Amanda Szabo-Reed

Amanda N. Szabo-Reed is a Research Associate Professor in the Division of Physical Activity & Weight Management at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She holds concurrent affiliations with the KU Alzheimer's Disease Center and contributes to interdisciplinary research on lifestyle interventions.

• Education:
  • BS in Movement Science, University of Michigan (2007)
  • BA in Sports Management, University of Michigan (2007)
  • MS in Kinesiology, University of Illinois (2011)
  • PhD in Kinesiology, University of Illinois (2012)
  • MS in Clinical Research, KU Medical Center (2020)

Her research examines how lifestyle behavioral adherence (diet/exercise) affects cognitive and brain health in aging populations, focusing on moderators like self-efficacy and physiological changes. Recent work explores Alzheimer's prevention through physical activity and metabolic interventions.

Key publications span:

• Cognitive Outcomes: 2025 multisite exercise trials, 2024 dementia prevention reviews
• Weight Management: MET-POWeR trial (2013), brain-behavior modeling (2020)
• Neuroplasticity: Hippocampal volume (2011), functional connectivity (2013)

Honors:

• Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Fellowship (2017)
• KL2 Mentored Clinical Research Award (2020)

She leads trials like COMET (2022) and rrAD Study (2019) and has developed tools for non-exercise fitness assessment. Her work bridges public health, kinesiology, and clinical neuroscience.