Washington University in St Louis · Biomedical EngineeringHershey Lab
Tamara G Hershey · Saint Louis, Missouri
Research Focus
Dr. Tamara G. Hershey's lab focuses on understanding how type 2 diabetes (T2D) affects the brain, especially in youth who are at risk due to obesity and metabolic problems. The research aims to identify the connections between metabolic disorders and changes in brain structure and function, helping to better understand the complications associated with T2D in younger populations. This research is crucial as T2D is increasingly diagnosed in children and adolescents, and studying these effects early can lead to better intervention strategies.
type 2 diabetesyouth obesitybrain functionmetabolic dysfunctioncognitive impairment
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate brain structure changes in youth with type 2 diabetes.
AIM 02Assess cognitive effects associated with metabolic dysfunction in adolescents.
AIM 03Identify risk factors for brain health in youth at risk for T2D.
AIM 04Examine how metabolic disorders influence brain development in children.
AIM 05Establish connections between inflammation and brain function in youth with obesity.
Skills the Lab Values
MRI imagingpsychological testingbody mass index assessmentdata analysisneuroimaging techniquescognitive assessmentstatistical modelingbiomarker measurementclinical assessments
Output against the department
Publications259top 38% of dept.224th of 595
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations11ktop 31% of dept.182nd of 595
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.