Dr. Besser is a Research Assistant Professor in the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health at University of Miami’s School of Medicine. Her educational background includes a dual MSPH in Epidemiology and Environmental and Occupational Health and a PhD in City and Regional Planning. Dr. Besser’s research program investigates the intersections between neighborhood built and social environments, healthy aging, and brain health. Her funding (as Principal Investigator) has included three National Institute on Aging grants (K01AG063895, R21AG075291, R21AG089003) and one Alzheimer’s Association (AARG-21-850963) grant on neighborhood social and built environments and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia outcomes.

The overarching goal of Dr. Besser’s work is to provide evidence for community environments that can be promoted to help maintain cognitive function into older ages, reduce dementia risk, and allow for aging in place, particularly for historically disadvantaged populations.

Dr. Besser’s research publications can be found on PubMed and Google Scholar.