Stacey Aaron
Assistant Professor
Kinesiology and Nutrition
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
Contact
Building & Room:
AHSB 529
Office Phone:
Email:
About
I am a physiologist whose research bridges cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and exercise sciences to understand how vascular health shapes brain function and disease risk across the lifespan. My work spans multiple domains of human physiology, from healthy aging to prevention and rehabilitation, and focuses on developing noninvasive, translational approaches to assess vascular health in aging and disease.
Currently, my research program centers on the heart–brain axis, specifically, how cardiovascular disease risk factors influence cerebrovascular control mechanisms such as dynamic autoregulation, CO₂ reactivity, and neurovascular coupling. I am particularly interested in how modifiable lifestyle factors, including aerobic and resistance exercise, physical activity, and cardiovascular risk reduction, can enhance cerebrovascular resilience and delay or prevent cognitive decline. My research also examines sex differences and hormonal influences, emphasizing the accelerated cerebrovascular aging during midlife.
In the long term, I aim to integrate vascular imaging and hemodynamic modeling to create scalable, noninvasive tools for the early detection and monitoring of cerebrovascular dysfunction. These tools will also be used to evaluate the impact of aerobic and resistance exercise and other lifestyle-based interventions on brain health and aging. My work seeks to clarify how maintaining cardiovascular health preserves cerebrovascular integrity and protects the brain across the lifespan.
Education
Postdoctoral Fellowship University of Kanas Medical Center / Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
Postdoctoral Fellowship Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital / Harvard Medical School
Ph.D. Medical University of South Carolina
M.S. University of South Carolina
B.A. Ohio Wesleyan University