Veronica Galvan
Led the studies proving rapamycin prevents Alzheimer's-like decline and enhances cognition across normal aging
MS, Univ. of Buenos Aires (1994) · PhD virology, Univ. of Chicago (Bernard Roizman, 1999) · postdoc, Buck Institute (Dale Bredesen) · UT Health San Antonio, Barshop Institute (1999–2021) · now Professor & Donald W. Reynolds Endowed Chair, Univ. of Oklahoma HSC (since 2021); Editor-in-Chief, GeroScience
Galvan Lab, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center ↗
Portrait: University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Senior author on SPI2010 (rapamycin prevents Alzheimer's-model cognitive decline, lowers amyloid-beta) and HAL2012 (chronic rapamycin enhances cognition across normal aging, no cost to the aging brain).
Work done with Barshop Institute collaborators Richardson and Strong (both already in the Atlas). Seeded her career-long focus on mTOR as a druggable node between brain aging and Alzheimer's; co-author on a 2025 pilot Phase 1 rapamycin/Alzheimer's clinical trial.
Moved to OU Health Sciences Center in 2021; directs the Oklahoma Nathan Shock Center on Aging; past President, American Aging Association (2021–2022); Editor-in-Chief, GeroScience (since 2021).
Milestones in the Atlas
| Year | Evidence | Study |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | A | Inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin abolishes cognitive deficits and reduces amyloid-beta levels in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease SPI2010 Senior author: long-term rapamycin prevents memory deficits and lowers amyloid-beta, tracking with increased autophagy. |
| 2012 | A | Chronic inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin modulates cognitive and non-cognitive components of behavior throughout lifespan in mice HAL2012 Senior author: a lifespan-extending rapamycin dose enhances cognition and reduces anxiety/depression-like behavior. |