PAC Lab Article Written By Brittany Armstrong
Last month, five team members from Dr. Etnier’s Physical Activity and Cognition Lab (PAC Lab) attended the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in Philadelphia, PA. The conference, spanning five days, is the world’s largest and most influential gathering dedicated to dementia research, bringing together experts, clinicians, and scholars from across the globe. Representing UNC Greensboro, PAC Lab team members Dr. Jenny Etnier, Dr. Lexy Ganesh, Dr. Emily Bechke, Dr. Shin Park, and doctoral candidate Chad Wessinger were in attendance.
Throughout the event, the PAC Lab team members actively engaged in networking with leading Alzheimer’s researchers, attended keynote presentations, and participated in a variety of sessions focused on groundbreaking discoveries in diagnostics, treatment options, and preventative strategies related to dementia.
Notably, the team was also invited to present research related to the Physical Activity and Alzheimer’s Disease 2 (PAAD2) study! Dr. Bechke presented on biomarkers of amyloid-β pathology and inflammation, Dr. Ganesh presented on the effect of exercise on hippocampal volume, and Chad Wessinger, MS presented on diet and executive function.
The AAIC provided the PAC Lab team with an invaluable platform to exchange ideas with fellow researchers and learn about cutting-edge methodologies. The conference experience offered insights that will likely inform and inspire the lab’s research initiatives moving forward.
The team also made time to have a little fun!