Lilah M. Besser, Ph.D., M.S.P.H.

Roles

• Biography

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  Dr. Besser's educational background includes a Master's in Epidemiology and Environmental and Occupational Health and a PhD in City and Regional Planning. From 2011-2018, she researched Alzheimer's disease and related dementia outcomes while working at the Senior Research Scientist at University of Washington's National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center. From 2018-2021, Dr. Besser worked an Assistant Professor at Florida Atlantic Universities Department of Urban and Regional Planning, where she received her NIH/NIA K01 career development award on "Longitudinal associations between neighborhood greenspace and brain aging in cognitively normal older adults". Starting in 2022, she has worked as a Research Assistant Professor at UM, located at the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health, in Boca Raton, FL.

• Teaching Interests

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  No courses currently taught. Previously developed and taught a course on "Health and the Built Environment" at Florida Atlantic University (Spring 2020, Spring 2021).

• Research Interests

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  Dr. Besser’s current research program centers on the intersections between neighborhood built and social environments, healthy aging, and brain health. The ultimate goal of Dr. Besser’s research is to provide evidence to planners, architects, urban designers, policy makers, and public health professionals (among other disciplines) on the neighborhood and community factors that can help maintain cognitive function into older ages, reduce Alzheimer's and related dementia risk, and allow for healthy aging in place.

• Publications

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