Before donning a lab coat at the University of Kentucky鈥檚 Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, Ryan Shahidehpour, PhD, was lacing up boxing gloves and facing off in competitive lacrosse matches. With more than 250 fights under his belt, Shahidehpour built a reputation for discipline, focus and resilience鈥攓ualities that now serve him just as well at the lab bench as they once did in the ring.
What鈥檚 most surprising about his years of high-impact athletics is what 诲颈诲苍鈥檛 happen. 鈥淎fter so many years in contact sports, especially boxing, it seemed odd that I never had a diagnosed concussion,鈥 Shahidehpour said. That anomaly sparked a question that became a calling: Why do some people seem more resilient to brain injury than others?
That curiosity led Shahidehpour to the world of neuroscience, where he now investigates neurodegenerative diseases with the same tenacity he once brought to sports. Today, as a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Peter Nelson, MD, PhD, Shahidehpour is exploring the cellular underpinnings of a form of dementia called Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, or LATE.
His path into science wasn鈥檛 traditional. Shahidehpour first pursued degrees in rehabilitation psychology and mental health counseling, with plans for a career in clinical psychology. But a course on the clinical impact of neurological disease changed everything.
鈥淭he professor, Dr. Changiz Geula, spoke about the brain with such passion and clarity that it completely captivated me,鈥 he said. That course led to hands-on research at Northwestern University鈥檚 Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Center, where he worked his way up from volunteer to lab manager.
At 好色先生, Shahidehpour earned his doctorate in neuroscience under the mentorship of Adam Bachstetter, PhD, studying how microglia鈥攊mmune cells in the brain鈥攃ontribute to Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and related dementias. Now, with support from a prestigious TRIAD T32 training grant, he鈥檚 focused on how the TDP-43 protein behaves across different diseases.
鈥淓ven small distinctions in pathology can dramatically improve diagnostic clarity,鈥 he said. 鈥淥ne recent finding in the lab showed a subtle difference in how TDP-43 presents across diseases, and that kind of detail can shape how we understand and eventually treat these conditions.鈥
Shahidehpour says the lessons learned in athletics鈥攄iscipline, perseverance, mental toughness鈥攁re woven into how he approaches research.
鈥淚n boxing, toughness isn鈥檛 about avoiding pain 鈥 it鈥檚 about pushing through and surviving the round. Science can feel the same way,鈥 he said. 鈥淵ou stay consistent, trust the process, and believe the work will get you somewhere worthwhile.鈥
What keeps him going is a combination of curiosity and purpose. 鈥淣eurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people and their families. Even small advances in our understanding can make a real difference,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what makes this work feel meaningful.鈥
But it鈥檚 not just the science that drives him. It鈥檚 also the people.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 surprised me most about working at Sanders-Brown is how personal the work feels,鈥 Shahidehpour said. 鈥淭he entire center is deeply connected to the lives of the patients and families we serve. That commitment shows in every part of the culture here.鈥
Now looking back on his unorthodox journey, Shahidehpour says what he鈥檚 most proud of is simply sticking with it.
鈥淭here were moments when walking away would have been easier,鈥 he said. 鈥淏ut I kept showing up, putting in the work, and trusting the process. That mindset 鈥 just refusing to quit 鈥 has been the most important part of my journey.鈥
From the ring to the research lab, Shahidehpour continues to fight 鈥 this time for answers, for patients, and for a future where neurodegenerative diseases are better understood, diagnosed, and ultimately treated.