Caterina Rosano

Caterina Rosano, MD, MPH, is a Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, serving as Director of the MD/PhD Program in Epidemiology and Associate Director for Clinical Translation at the Aging Institute. Her research focuses on Population Neuroscience of Aging, investigating neurobiological drivers of resilience in healthy aging through advanced neuroimaging and epidemiological methods.

Education:

• BS, Scientific Lycee B. Croce, Palermo, Italy (1989)
• MD, University of Palermo Medical School, Palermo, Italy (1995)
• Internship in Internal Medicine & Emergency Medicine, Policlinico, University of Palermo (1996)
• Mini Residency in Neurology, Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, UPMC (2002)
• MPH in Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health (2003)
• Trainee, Epidemiology of Aging Training Program (2004)
• Trainee, Mentor Training Program (2010)

Research Focus: Dr. Rosano pioneers the integration of neuroscience and population science to understand why some individuals age better than others. Her work reveals that microstructural brain integrity, small vessel health, and dopaminergic signaling are critical resilience factors. She demonstrates that modifiable elements like stable blood pressure and low inflammation preserve brain function, with implications for interventions targeting accelerated brain aging in conditions like diabetes. Her eBRAIN research group applies advanced MRI techniques to virtually dissect brain networks in diverse aging populations.

Publication Trends: Her 2021-2022 research spans neuroimaging of aging, mobility, and health disparities. Key themes include genetic influences on gait (COMT polymorphism), vascular contributions to Parkinsonism, olfactory system changes in aging, and Alzheimer's disease disparities in minority women. Her work consistently bridges clinical neuroscience with population health, emphasizing modifiable resilience factors.

Mentorship & Leadership: Dr. Rosano actively mentors trainees including postdoctoral scholar Meredith Phillips (who advocated for NIH funding at Capitol Hill 2025), PhD candidate Kailyn Witonsky, and conference-presenting students Alex Reese and Alejandra Ramirez-Tirado. She leads the eBRAIN group coordinating neuroepidemiological studies on brain resilience, recently participating in the Vanscoy Winter Academy 2025 to discuss healthy aging strategies.