CTF provides the next generation of dementia researchers’ an opportunity for early lab experience.
In 2024, CTF was contacted by Jimmy Gallivan, a sophomore at Somers High School, and his mother, Ping Gallivan, from Westchester County, NY. They were seeking connections with dementia researchers for a special science research program. Jimmy’s project, focused on research for Alzheimer’s disease treatments, was driven by a deeply personal connection to the disease.
“Growing up I always loved spending time with my grandmother. Then, amidst the pandemic she developed Alzheimer’s Disease, which eventually contributed to her passing in 2024. I realized how Alzheimer’s and dementia can have such deep effects on individuals and those around them, and I want to help make a difference.”
After learning more about Jimmy and his research project, CTF’s Chief Scientific Advisor, Dr. Karl Herrup, and CTF Consortium researcher, Dr. Amantha Thathiah—both specialists in Alzheimer’s disease research—agreed to mentor Jimmy.
Over the summer of 2025, Jimmy gained invaluable hands-on experience in both Dr. Herrup and Dr. Thathiah’s labs, where he was able to explore his research questions firsthand and contribute to ongoing experiments.
“In Dr. Herrup and Dr. Thathiah's labs I learned an array of important scientific concepts and procedures used in the study of Alzheimer's disease, and how to apply them (such as PCR, gel electrophoresis, immunocytochemistry, microscopy, and more). I was able to study responses to DNA damage in oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and mature oligodendrocytes alongside members of Dr. Herrup's lab, aiming to give further insight into pathological changes in the brain that occur with aging.”
CTF is proud to serve as a bridge between aspiring researchers and those actively advancing the field, providing the next generation a head start on the path to treatment development.
“Being in the lab was an experience like no other. It gave me a behind-the-scenes look at how we’re fighting Alzheimer’s and dementia in real time, and the people behind it.”
Jimmy has a bright future ahead and reminds us all that with passionate young researchers dedicated to finding a viable treatment, we will one day live in a world free of dementia. It is CTF’s hope to expand opportunities like this in the coming years, offering hands-on lab experiences to high-school students across Pittsburgh.
