Michael Wolf

Michael Wolf is a Professor of Medicine and Learning Sciences at Northwestern University, holding dual affiliations with the Feinberg School of Medicine and the School of Education & Social Policy. He serves as Chief of Research in the Division of General Internal Medicine. His work focuses on health literacy, risk communication, medication safety, and cognitive impairment detection in aging populations.

Education:

• BS in Psychology/English, Valparaiso University (1993)
• MA in Learning Sciences, Northwestern University (2006)
• PhD in Social Policy, University of Illinois (2000)
• MPH in Public Health, Northwestern University (2002)

Research Interests: Wolf’s research bridges clinical medicine and public health, addressing disparities in healthcare access and outcomes. He develops technology-enabled tools like the MyCog cognitive screening system and investigates how socioeconomic factors (e.g., neighborhood deprivation) impact sleep health and chronic disease management. His work emphasizes patient-centered strategies to improve medication adherence and reduce health literacy barriers.

Key Themes in Publications: Recent articles highlight his focus on cognitive screening innovations, telehealth adaptation during the pandemic, and the intersection of social determinants with health outcomes. His studies often involve large cohorts (e.g., LIVCOG, LitCog) to explore post-transplant cognitive recovery, caregiver roles in dementia care, and disparities in portal use among chronic disease patients.

Grant & Collaboration Highlights: Wolf leads NIH-funded trials evaluating cognitive screening tools and medication adherence interventions. His work integrates clinical, social science, and technological approaches to advance equitable healthcare delivery.

Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary teams such as the LitCog Caregiver Cohort Study and the LIVCOG liver transplant recovery initiative, emphasizing collaborative, patient-focused research.