Alberto Ascherio

Alberto Ascherio, MD, DrPH, is a Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and a Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School. He also holds positions at the Brigham and Women's Hospital and is a faculty affiliate in the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. With a medical degree from the University of Milan (1978) and a DrPH from Harvard (1992), his career spans Latin America, Africa, and the United States.

• Education:
  • MD, University of Milan (1978)
  • DrPH, Harvard University (1992)

Dr. Ascherio's research focuses on the causes of neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and cognitive decline. His work has identified modifiable risk factors such as vitamin D insufficiency, cigarette smoking, and low physical activity, leading to randomized trials in Parkinson's disease.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications reveals trends in neuroimmunology, nutritional epidemiology, and longitudinal cohort studies. Key subtopics include Epstein-Barr virus and MS, flavonoid intake in neurodegeneration, and metabolic risk factors for chronic diseases.

• Scientific Awards:
  • Doctor of Medicine honoris causa, University of Southern Denmark (for work on vitamin D and MS risk)

Dr. Ascherio's grants include NIH-funded projects (e.g., R01AI177514 on EBV-MS mechanisms in African Americans) and Department of Defense studies on genes and environment in Parkinson's disease. He leads longitudinal analyses in cohorts like the Nurses' Health Studies and the Finnish Maternal Cohort.