Explore our studies
Our research group is involved in every step of the research process, from study design to data dissemination. We conduct interdisciplinary research analyses to advance understanding of health throughout the life course, focusing on novel as well as time-tested methods to improve health and reduce risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. In addition to analyzing data, we provide our study data to national and international researchers to build the knowledge base for creating health and wellbeing in older age. If you are interested in working with any of the below datasets, please email aielloresearchgroup@cumc.columbia.edu. For information about public-use and restricted-use Add Health data sets, please click here.
National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health)
Add Health is a nationally representative longitudinal study that started with more than 20,000 adolescents in grades 7–12 in 1994–95 and has followed them into early midlife through six waves of data collection. The most recent Wave VI (2022–2025) includes participants ages 39–51 (average age 44). Across its waves, Add Health has collected demographic, social, behavioral, psychosocial, cognitive, and health data; detailed contextual information on schools, neighborhoods, and residential environments; and extensive physical and biological measures, including genetic data, biomarkers, anthropometrics, and medication inventories. Learn more
Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging (SALSA)
The Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging was a 10-year longitudinal cohort study (1998-2008) of over 1700 Latinos aged 60 years and older who lived in both rural and urban areas of the Sacramento Valley. Data was collected in approximately annual home visits on lifestyle factors, depressive symptoms, medical diagnoses, physical and cognitive tests, and ApoE genotype. Learn more
Data are available on ICPSR
Niños Lifestyle and Diabetes Study (NLDS)
The Niños Lifestyle and Diabetes Study cohort was comprised of adult children, grandchildren and other biological relatives of participants in the SALSA cohort. Participants completed structured interviews and provided anthropometric measurements, medication histories, and blood samples at both a baseline visit and a follow-up visit 12-18 months later. A primary aim of the study was to evaluate how educational mobility across generations influenced both depression and diabetes incidence. Learn more
Detroit Neighborhood Health Study (DNHS)
The Detroit Neighborhood Health Study was a longitudinal study of adults, mostly African Americans, living in Detroit, Michigan. The study was designed to investigate the association between traumatic experiences, ecological stressors, neighborhood environments, genetic variation and psychopathology. Learn more
Data are available on ICPSR and GWAS and DNAm data are available on dbGaP
Chatham County COVID-19 Cohort (C4)
The Chatham County COVID-19 Cohort was a longitudinal, population-based study in central North Carolina established to monitor SARS-CoV-2 infection and antibody responses over time. Participants were asked to provide monthly serum samples and to complete biweekly surveys that included mental health information. Learn more
SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Health Care Personnel and Their Household Contacts
A prospective, observational cohort of healthcare personnel at a medical center in North Carolina (US) was established to study SARS-CoV-2 infection in this high-risk group. Participants were enrolled between July 2020 and January 2021 and followed up through February 2022. Participants completed baseline, biweekly, and daily surveys, and provided repeated blood samples and nasal swabs. Learn more
eX-FLU
The eX-FLU cluster randomized trial aimed to study isolation as an intervention to reduce spread of respiratory illness in a university residence hall setting. The novel study design utilized a social network and, for a subsample, a smartphone application for collection of social interaction data. Learn more
Mflu
Mflu was a cluster-randomized intervention trial in a university setting. The trial was designed to investigate the effect of face masks and hand hygiene in preventing influenza-like illness among young adults living in university residence halls. Learn more