Jefferson Kinney
Biography
Jefferson Kinney is the founding chair of the department of brain health in the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV. Kinney investigates neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and Parkinson's disease, with a focus on cellular and molecular changes in the brain that underlie these disorders.
His current work includes investigating the role of several risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease and subtle changes in cell function, including interactions between diabetes and inflammation in the brain throughout the onset and progression of the disease. As part of this work, Kinney collaborates with the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas.
Earlier in his career, Kinney completed an Intramural Research Training Fellowship with the National Institute of Mental Health and the Helen Dorris Fellowship in schizophrenia research at The Scripps Research Institute.
Education
- B.S., Psychology, Colorado State University
- M.S., Experimental Psychology, Colorado State University
- Ph.D., Behavioral Neuroscience, Colorado State University
Jefferson Kinney In The News
Articles Featuring Jefferson Kinney
The Brains Behind UNLV’s New MR Imaging Core
UNLV boasts Nevada’s only MRI facility dedicated to university research. Here’s what our professors hope to discover with it.
Brain Power Working for Brain Health
The department of brain health is advancing groundbreaking research while helping the community better understand cognitive wellness.
UNLV Contributes to Historic Breakthrough in Alzheimer’s Disease Detection
Data provided by UNLV researchers helped secure FDA approval for a new blood test to detect Alzheimer’s disease.
Study Unlocks How Diabetes Distorts Memory and Reward Processing
UNLV research team says high blood sugar levels appear to weaken function in key part of brain, mimicking Alzheimer’s.