Bio:
Kathryn (Kate) Devlin, PhD, is an assistant research professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Drexel University. She earned her PhD in clinical psychology and neuroscience from Temple University and completed an internship in clinical psychology at the VA Maryland Health Care System and a postdoctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology at Thomas Jefferson University. She is a member of Drexel’s Applied Neuro-Technologies Lab and a frequent collaborator with the Drexel University/Temple University Comprehensive NeuroAIDS Center (CNAC). She has co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters and over 30 conference presentations. Her work has been funded by the National Science Foundation and recognized by the Centers for AIDS Research (CFAR) and the Philadelphia Neuropsychology Society.
Devlin’s interdisciplinary research incorporates clinical neuropsychology, immunology, and statistics. Her work seeks to understand the nature, causes, and outcomes of neurocognitive impairment in several populations, particularly older adults, persons living with HIV, and those with neurodegenerative diseases. More recently, her research has also included epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and brain injury. Devlin investigates the impact of biomedical factors, such as vascular disease and inflammation, and social factors, such as education and culture, on cognitive performance and daily functioning. She utilizes statistical and actuarial approaches to improve the accuracy of neuropsychological diagnosis and prognosis, particularly in underrepresented groups. Her statistical expertise includes structural equation modeling (SEM), which she uses to identify latent neuropsychological profiles in heterogeneous populations and the risk factors, trajectories, and outcomes associated with these profiles. The ultimate goal of her work is to enhance cognition, functioning, and quality of life through early and accurate detection, and by paving the way for interventions that target the causes and profiles of cognitive impairment.