Personnel

Heather Adams, PhD is Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics. She is a pediatric neuropsychologist and licensed Clinical Child Psychologist. Dr. Adams conducts neuropsychological evaluations, provides support to families and schools for behavioral and learning concerns, and conducts research on the neurobehavioral, psychosocial, and quality of life impacts of NCL disorders.

Erika F. Augustine, MD is Associate Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics. She is PI of the Juvenile Mycophenolate Phase II clinical trial in Batten disease (JUMP study) and the Function and Quality of Life in JNCL study.

John J. Foxe, PhD is the Director of the Ernest J. Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience. He is Professor and Chair of Neuroscience and is the Killian J. and Caroline F. Schmitt Chair in Neuroscience. His lab uses neuroimaging and electrophysiological approaches to explore potential biomarkers of disease progression in neurodevelopmental disorders. His team are working on developing specific outcome measures for Battens Disease.

Frederick J. Marshall, MD is Professor of Neurology and a specialist in neurodegenerative diseases. He has collaborated with the Batten’s team at the University of Rochester since 2002.

Jonathan W. Mink, MD, PhD is one of the founding members of the URBC.

Marianna Pereira-Freitas, BA is a Batten Disease research coordinator in the division of Child Neurology. She assists with study recruitment, research, and activities.

Ruchira Singh, PhD is Assistant Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology and the Department of Biomedical Genetics at University of Rochester Medical Center. She is the principal investigator of a study which examines how neurodegenerative diseases, such as juvenile Batten disease, cause blindness.

Naomi Taggart, AS, BA is a Batten Disease research coordinator in the division of Child Neurology. She assists with study recruitment, research, and activities.

Jennifer Vermilion, MD is an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics. Director, Pediatric Movement Disorders Fellowship program. She has studied sex differences in Batten disease progression, feasibility of remote administration of the UBDRS, and the effects of flupirtine on Batten disease course.

Amy Vierhile, DNP, RN, PPCNP-BC is a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Child Neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She helps coordinate research study visits for patients with Batten disease and assists with clinical trial enrollment and study activities.

Current and Past Students

Students Aimee Morris, Shayne Ragbeer, Katherine Rose, and Sarah Pearl Aronow-Werner (left to right)

• Ankita Agarwal, MD
• Travis Amengual
• Sarah Pearl Aronow-Werner
• Elizabeth Cozart
• Danielle DeCampo, PhD
• Jared DeYoung, MD
• Julie Eisengart, PhD
• Anna Gekker, PhD
• Rachel Jordan
• Toby Kashket
• Melissa Wang Ko, MD
• Casey Lower
• Tiffani McDonough, MD
• Aimee Morris
• Amanda Onalaja
• Denia Ramirez-Montealegre, MD, PhD
• Shayne Ragbeer, PhD
• Jennifer Riehl, MD
• Katherine Rose, MD
• Nicola Ross, MD
• Sabrina Seehafer, PhD
• Erika Levy Wexler, MD
• Justin Williams
• Kimberly Worcester, MD