In this article, we catch up with former TARGet Kids! (TK!) Undergraduate Student Alexa DiPede, whose journey since leaving TK! has been adventurous and inspiring. From working in a lab in Switzerland to continuing her research at McGill University, Alexa reflects on her time with us and shares valuable insights into how that experience has shaped her career.

Since my time as an undergraduate thesis student with TARGet Kids! at McMaster University, life has been full of new and exciting experiences. I’m currently starting a new chapter as a graduate student in the Integrated Program in Neuroscience (IPN) at McGill University, where I’m fortunate to be working in the Cuello Laboratory. My research, in collaboration with the University of Antigua and Harvard University, focuses on nerve growth factor (NGF) and its role in family inherited Alzheimer's disease. I am investigating whether nerve growth factor (NGF) biomarkers in blood and brain-spinal cord fluid can distinguish people with the PSEN1 mutation— an early and aggressive form of Alzheimer’s—from those without it. Our goal is to see if these NGF biomarkers can better predict declines in brain function compared to traditional markers focused on protein deposits in the brain, potentially improving early diagnosis and personalized treatments.
Looking back, my journey wouldn’t have been possible without the invaluable experience I had with TARGet Kids! The mentorship I received from Piyumi Mudiyanselage and Dr. Catherine Birken, among many others, shaped the way I approach science today. Being part of such a multidisciplinary team, including Dietitians, Physicians, and Biostatisticians to name a few, taught me the power of collaboration—an essential lesson as I now tackle complex research questions with diverse teams.

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