معرفی
Alberto Ascherio is an Italian-American physician, epidemiologist, and nutritionist serving as Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. His career centers on neurodegenerative disease research using large-scale longitudinal cohort studies across global populations.
He earned his Doctor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Milan (1978) followed by Master of Public Health (MPH) and Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degrees from Harvard University after medical practice in Africa and Latin America.
Ascherio's research integrates epidemiology, nutrition, and neurology to investigate environmental triggers of neurological disorders. He pioneered the causal link between Epstein-Barr virus and multiple sclerosis, demonstrated vitamin D's role in MS progression, and identified dietary flavonoids as protective factors against Parkinson's disease through rigorous analysis of cohort data.
His publication trends reveal a strategic focus on infectious etiologies of neurodegeneration and nutritional interventions, with landmark studies in Science, JAMA, and Neurology establishing new paradigms for understanding MS and Parkinson's disease mechanisms.
His scientific recognition includes:
- 2025 Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences (shared with Stephen L. Hauser) for establishing Epstein-Barr virus as the primary causal factor in multiple sclerosis
Ascherio directs research within major longitudinal frameworks including the Nurses' Health Study, Health Professionals Follow-up Study, and Scandinavian cohorts from Denmark and Finland. His team leverages decades of biomarker and lifestyle data to identify modifiable risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases, with current work expanding into viral immunology and precision nutrition approaches.
