Heffernan, Kevin S. (ksh2001)

B.S., Exercise Science, The University of Scranton

M.S., Applied (Exercise) Physiology and Nutrition, Teachers College, Columbia University

Ph.D., Kinesiology (Exercise Physiology), The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Postdoctoral Fellow, Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center

Adjunct Research Scientist,  Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging

Exercise, Vascular Aging, Neurocognitive Aging, Health Disparities

Budak M, Heffernan KS, Ishaq M, Paruzel V, Abdalla D, Moallemian S, Fausto BA, Elahi FM, Gluck MA. ABCA7-80 moderates the association between vascular stiffness and p-tau217 in older African Americans.  Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, In Press.

Budak M, Heffernan KS, Paruzel V, Moallemian S, Fausto BA, Ashton N, Zetterberg H, Elahi FM, Gluck MA. Vascular stiffness predicts plasma markers of neurodegeneration among older African Americans. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease, 2026, Apr;13(4):100523.

Patrick Z, Mann R, Hillman CH, Jung M, Hayes SM, Miller SE, Undorf M, Heffernan K, Loprinzi P. The moderating effects of individual differences in baseline episodic memory on acute exercise benefits in memory. Memory & Cognition, In Press.

Heffernan KS, Townsend RR.  The rise and fall of blood pressure and cognitive function: implications for sex differences in brain health. American Journal of Hypertension, 2026 Feb;39(2):202-4.

Heffernan KS, Barnes JN, London AS, Monroe DC, Stern Y, Sloan RP, Schaefer SM. Association of low-frequency oscillations in blood pressure variability and brain age derived from neuroimaging. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 2025, Oct;21(10):e70833. 

Heffernan KS, Monroe DC, London AS, Gutierrez J, Brickman AM, Nair AK, Adluru N, Schaefer SM. High Estimated Pulse Wave Velocity is Associated with Lower Brain White Matter Microstructural Integrity 12 Years Later. Neurobiology of Aging, 2025; 156:1-9.  (DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.07.015)