People

Ted Wilson is the Provost’s Assistant Professor of Neuroscience and of Brain Science at Brown University and the Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science’s Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research. As a neurobiologist, his research interests surround understanding the cellular biology underlying Alzheimer’s disease.

Justin Mendiola received his Bachelor’s of Science in Biological Sciences from California State University, Fullerton in 2023. He was then selected to participate as a California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) Research Scholar. He has completed research in the laboratory of Prof. Vittorio Sebastiano, at Stanford’s Institute for Stem Cell Biology & Regenerative Medicine. In the lab, Justin’s research is focused on determining rates of various biomarker changes in Alzheimer’s disease and developing cutting edge diagnostic assays. Outside the lab, Justin enjoys cooking and exploring Rhode Island.

Nola is a PhD student in the Pathobiology program at Brown University. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Cornell College and her Master of Science for Pathology and Laboratory Medicine from Boston University. She worked as a research technician, then lab manager, for the Boston Medical Center Laboratory and Biorepository Research Service for 3 years before enrolling at Brown. She joined the Wilson lab in March 2026, where she is studying synaptic resilience in the context of Alzheimer’s disease. Outside of lab, Nola enjoys sewing, watching old movies, and curating playlists.

Sophie received her Bachelor’s of Arts degree in Biochemistry from Vassar College in 2023. After working as a hospital assistant at a small animal clinic in her hometown of McLean, Virginia, where she explored her interest in veterinary medicine, Sophie began working as a research assistant in the Department of Neuroscience at Brown in February of 2025 studying axonal development as well as neuron-glia interactions. She joined the Wilson lab in February 2026, where she is exploring the cellular and biological underpinnings of Alzheimer’s disease. Outside of lab, Sophie enjoys reading books and thrifting.

Bella Russo is a senior at Stanford University. She is majoring in Biology with a concentration in Neuroscience, and also earning a minor in Spanish. She has been working in the Wilson lab since October 2024, and was supported by the NeURO program at Stanford during Summer 2025. Bella’s research is focused on validating synaptic proteins as blood biomarkers sensitive to Alzheimer’s disease progression. Outside of the lab, Bella competes for the Stanford Polo team and Stanford Equestrian team, and also serves as a Residential Advisor for Pi Beta Phi.

Tristan Wu is a rising sophomore at Brown University from Hong Kong, exploring concentrations in Biochemistry or Biomedical Engineering, with a strong interest in medicine and neuroscience. He joined the Lab in March 2026. Tristan is testing the hypothesis that modulating astrocyte reactivity is a strategy to preserve neuronal function using transgenic mouse models of neurodegeneration. Outside the lab, Tristan enjoys playing volleyball, cooking, and watching TV shows.

Cal Dearborn is an incoming sophomore at Brown University interested in neurodegeneration and acquired brain injuries. He plans to concentrate in Computational Neuroscience. He joined the Wilson lab in March 2026. In the lab, Cal is building models to capture the evolving multiple pathologies present in neurodegeneration. Outside the lab, Cal enjoys playing basketball, watching Jeopardy!, and reading Latin literature.