Brian Downer, PhD is an Associate Professor in the School of Public and Population Health (SPPH) at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). He received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Aquinas College (Grand Rapids, MI) and a PhD in Gerontology from the University of Kentucky. He also completed an NIA T32 postdoctoral fellowship on Hispanic Health and Aging at the UTMB Sealy Center on Aging.
Dr. Downer studies the influence of social and cultural context on life course pathways for dementia and cognitive decline in diverse older adult populations. He also investigates healthcare utilization by older adults, focusing on the quality and outcomes of post-acute care and differences in healthcare utilization by older adults with and without dementia.