Principal Investigator
Karen O. Moss (She/Her/Hers) – PhD, RN, CNL
Dr. Moss is the principal investigator in the Family Caregiver Community Research (FamCare) Lab. Her program of research focuses on the neuroscience of pain, advanced care planning, healthcare decision-making, and quality-of-life outcomes for patients living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and other serious chronic illness and their families. She examines factors that influence pain and end-of-life decision-making processes for African American older adults living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their family caregivers. Dr. Moss also seeks to better understand family caregiver stress. Dr. Moss is also an Assistant Professor and mixed methods core faculty member in the Center for Health Outcomes in Medicine, Scholarship, and Service (HOMES) in the Department of Internal Medicine in the College of Medicine, as well as a member of the Monroe Lab.
Graduate Research Assistants
Kaelyn Rodrigues (She/Her/Hers)
Kaelyn graduated from Ohio State in May 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and a minor in Pharmaceutical Sciences. She is from Mason, Ohio and has volunteer and work experience as an Emergency Medical Technician. Kaelyn is now a first-year in the Graduate Entry Master of Nursing program at Ohio State and plans to become a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner after graduating.
Medical Students
Fumiya Abe-Nornes (He/Him/His)
Fumiya is a 2nd-year medical student at The Ohio State University College of Medicine (OSUCOM). After graduating in 2021 from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biophysics, Fumiya took 2 gaps year, using a mixed methods approach to evaluate the effectiveness of a COVID-19 intervention for Japanese individuals residing in the United States, as well as multiple interdisciplinary healthcare engineering research projects. Currently, Fumiya is involved in leadership with the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association, Family Medicine Interest Group, and STEM in Medicine all at OSUCOM. He is planning on graduating from medical school in Spring 2027.
Nursing Honors Students
Katie Hough
Katie is a third year nursing major with a minor in psychology. In addition to being involved with Dr. Moss’s FamCare Lab, Katie is part of Buckeye Student Nursing Association, Buckeyes for Ronald McDonald House, and Buckeye Buddies. Her interests with dementia started when someone close to her was diagnosed with a type of dementia. After graduation, Katie plans on applying to a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) program.
Former PhD Students
Emika Miller (She/Her/Hers)
Emika is a 4th year PhD student in the College of Nursing. She is also an Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP) and an Air Force Reservist (retiring in October 2023). She has research interests in end-of-life and health disparities in older African Americans living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). A fun fact is that she like knitting and crocheting!
Former Research Assistants
Ishika Mahajan
Ishika graduated from Ohio State in Spring 2023, majoring in psychology and minoring in neuroscience. During her undergraduate career, she served as the president of the Women in Surgery Empowerment (WISE) club and was a member of the pre-health sorority Delta Omega Kappa. She also collaborates with Dr. Moss on another project investigating family caregiver stress. Ishika is currently in medical school at the University of Toledo. She is a volunteer for the North Central Mental Health Suicide Prevention Hotline, and during her free time, she enjoys playing the violin and spending time with her friends and family.
Morgan Wheeler
Morgan is a fourth-year at OSU majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Philosophy. On campus, she is involved with Remote Area Medical and Buckeyes Against Alzheimer’s Club. She is also an active member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, Beta Nu chapter. In addition to working with Dr. Moss and the FamCare Lab, Morgan works as medical assistant for UC Health and a hostess at a local bistro in the summer. After undergrad, she plans to apply to medical school and is interested in neurology and pediatrics.
Mira Krishnan
Mira graduated from OSU in Spring 2024 with a B.S. in Neuroscience major and a minor in public health. She has a special interest in neurodegenerative disease. She also volunteers with the Crisis Text Line and College Mentors for Kids. Additionally, she spends her summers working as a certified nurse aide at a nursing home specializing in cases of dementia. In her free time, Mira enjoys running, playing with her dog, Coco, and spending time with her family and friends.
Danielle Wolford (She/Her/Hers)
Danielle graduated from OSU in Autumn 2023 with a B.S. in Neuroscience. She has experience as a resident care assistant for individuals living with dementia and wants to continue learning and spreading awareness about dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. During her free time, Danielle enjoys training service dogs and playing handball.
Lab Outings
Escape Room
