Banner Sun Health Research Institute (SHRI)
Sun City, AZ
Alireza Atri, MD, PhD
Site PI
Dr. Alireza Atri was named Director of the Banner Sun Health Research Institute in 2018 where he oversees all research, clinical care and education and training programs. He is an internationally recognized cognitive neurologist, neuroscientist, clinical researcher, and educator specializing in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias whose research focuses on improving detection, risk reduction, prognostication, experimental therapies and best care practices. He also specializes in the care of persons with early-stage and early-onset cognitive disorders and young-onset Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Dr. Atri serves as a leader for the Clinical and Biomarker Cores of the NIA/NIH-funded Arizona Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center; as co-chair the U.S. Alzheimer’s Association’s national clinical practice guidelines workgroup on the evaluation of suspected cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias; as chair of the Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) Medical Scientific Advisory Panel; as a Project Arm Leader for DIAN-TU (Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Network- Trials Unit); and has led and serves on steering committees of multiple global Alzheimer’s experimental trials programs and research consortia. Dr. Atri earned undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees at Harvard Medical School and University of California, Los Angeles; and his medical degree at University of California, San Francisco. He completed internship and residency at Mass General Brigham, Harvard Medical School; and post-doctoral fellowships at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston University, Harvard and MIT.
Parichita Choudhury
Site Co-PI
Dr. Parichita Choudhury is board-certified in Neurology and Dementia and practices at Banner Sun Health Research Institute. She completed her medical school at University of Alberta followed by neurology residency training at University of Calgary. She then completed her clinical fellowship in Behavioral Neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. In addition to providing clinical care, she is involved in multiple clinical trials in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s Disease at BSHRI. She also conducts research in the dementia care and areas of interest include early diagnosis of dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and sex differences in dementia care. She is a clinical assistant professor at University of Arizona and leads several educational initiatives at BSHRI.
Carolyn Liebsack
Site Liaison
Carolyn Liebsack is a BSN, CCRC, and has been the Clinical Trials Director at Banner Sun Health Research Institute for over 20 years. Carolyn received her nursing degree at the University of Colorado and has been a member of ACRP since 1996.