Interviewee: Alana Castle, MPH, University of Pittsburgh | Editors: Romina Garcia de leon, Janielle Richards (Blog Co-coordinators)
Published: April 18th, 2025
Can you tell me about your research?
I am a research assistant at the Center for Women’s Biobehavioral Health at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, working on two NIH-funded studies: the MsBrain2 Study (PIs: Dr. Rebecca Thurston, Dr. Pauline Maki) and the RISE (Relationship Influences on Sleep, Emotion, and Heart Health) Study (PI: Dr. Karen Jakubowski). The MsBrain2 Study explores how menopausal symptoms relate to midlife women’s brain health and cognitive functioning longitudinally, while the RISE Study focuses on the connection between sleep, cardiovascular health, and relationships in women at midlife. Additionally, the RISE Study examines how trauma, adversity, and psychosocial factors such as intimate partner violence affect women’s health.
At midlife and during the menopause transition, women are more susceptible to poor sleep and insomnia symptoms, both of which may be related to bothersome vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, as well as negatively affect mental health (for more on this– Alana suggests checking our this podcast with Dr. Rebecca Thurston). We collect blood samples to assess inflammatory biomarkers, conduct 7T MRI brain scans and carotid artery ultrasounds, measure physical health metrics, administer questionnaires, conduct interviews and cognitive assessments, and assess participants’ sleep with a variety of devices.
What is the current status of your research?
The RISE Study is nearing the completion of participant enrollment, which is exciting because it means we’ll soon begin analyzing the data. For my master thesis, my primary aim is to investigate whether self-compassion is linked to better sleep outcomes among the MsBrain Study cohort. Women completed questionnaires during their visits, and we measured sleep quality and insomnia symptoms both subjectively and objectively (using wrist-Actigraphy) to assess the relationship.
What drove you to study women’s health?
Women’s health, particularly during midlife and menopause, has historically been underrepresented in research. There’s still a lot we don’t know, which has significant implications for women’s treatment, as well as their mental and physical health as they age. I find it really exciting to contribute to research that can actually be translated into beneficial outcomes for women—not just during their reproductive years but throughout their lives.
I’m particularly interested in exploring aspects of positive psychological well-being. For example, I hope that by focusing on enhancing women’s self-compassion during midlife, we could potentially improve sleep outcomes for them. The field of women’s health, especially menopause research, tends to focus heavily on negative symptoms, which can feel overwhelming and discouraging. I remember talking to my own mom about my research, and she said it sounded “depressing.” I want to be part of research that doesn’t just highlight the challenges women face but also provides hope and practical strategies for improving their quality of life. After all, if I were to talk to my doctor in 30 years and hear nothing but negative things about aging, I’d find that really disheartening.
Where do you see your research heading?
I accepted a new role as a clinical coordinator at the Oregon Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) in Portland! I am excited to contribute to cognitive aging research. I am going to be working on some pilot imaging studies related to cognitive functioning in the center’s longitudinal cohorts. I plan to continue my work in women’s health research as well.
My interest has also expanded to exploring the positive aspects of well-being and their role in protecting physical and mental health. Most research tends to focus on negative experiences and their detrimental effects, but I believe it’s equally important to investigate what factors or interventions—such as therapy or resilience-building techniques—can help buffer against those negative impacts. I’m excited to continue researching ways that positive experiences and interventions can support women’s health as they age, particularly in midlife.
