Andrew Aschenbrenner, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, received a research award from the National Institutes of Health to support the Cognitive Monitoring during Treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (CoMTAD) study. 

Aschenbrenner’s study seeks to develop and validate a smartphone-based cognitive assessment that participants can complete remotely. Such a tool could help physicians treating patients with Alzheimer’s disease more effectively and frequently monitor potential negative side effects during anti-amyloid therapies. A remote assessment could also decrease the number of in-person visits, which would help patients who don’t live near the clinic where they receive care. 

“I am honored to receive this grant to support the development of cost‑effective, scalable remote monitoring tools for use in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and, eventually, other neurological disorders,” Aschenbrenner said. “This award is especially meaningful to me because it represents an opportunity to help directly improve the health and safety of individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease.” 

Aschenbrenner joined our faculty in 2025. His research interests include cognitive aging and Alzheimer’s disease, with a particular interest in digital and high-frequency cognitive assessments.