Unlocking the Mysteries of Memories: Dr. Rosanna Olsen’s Mission to Map and Mind and Understand Dementia
Driven by a shared passion at Baycrest to better understand the human brain, Dr. Rosanna Olsen, Senior Scientist at the Rotman Research Institute, is advancing research that at provides vital insights into how dementia develops, progresses and impacts individuals at every stage.
A self-professed “neuroanatomy geek,” Dr. Olsen has been a trailblazer since the start of her academic career, having been one of the first scientists to use high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the human brain while she was working alongside physicists and psychologists at Stanford University to improve the technology.
Her current studies focus on how different parts of the brain support memory and how aging changes them. Together with Dr. Jean Chen, a Senior Scientist and Director of the Neuroimaging Lab at Baycrest Academy for Research and Education’s (BARE) Rotman Research Institute, Dr. Olsen is working on a study that examines the blood supply to the hippocampus. They plan to partner with Sunnybrook Health Sciences, unlocking access to more powerful technologies that support this research.
“Collaboration is a huge piece,” said Dr. Olsen, highlighting how Baycrest’s unique network of experts and partners supports her work. Not only does she have access to experts with unique specialties that can complement her own. Baycrest’s global reputation as a leader opens doors to dynamic collaborations with other leading institutions, access to cutting-edge technology and funding opportunities.
Dr. Olsen is also Co-Chair of the Rotman Research Institute’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee where she strives to foster a sense of community and belonging and increase the inclusion of research participation, an important endeavor for ensuring that scientific discoveries represent and benefit everyone.
“We’re only now starting to appreciate the differences in the brain that cause different kinds of dementia. The unknowns are so vast. If we can take away at least some of the uncertainty, we can better inform care and treatment for dementia.”