Dr. Clifford R. Jack, Jr. is a preeminent leader in neuroimaging research and Alzheimer's disease diagnostics at the Mayo Clinic. He serves as Professor of Radiology and holds the distinguished position of Alexander Family Professor of Alzheimer's Disease Research in Rochester, Minnesota. After earning his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1979, he completed a residency in Diagnostic Radiology at Henry Ford Hospital followed by a Neuroradiology fellowship at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine from 1983 to 1984. These foundational experiences established his expertise in advanced brain imaging techniques and positioned him to become one of the most influential researchers in the field of dementia diagnostics.
Dr. Jack's laboratory has pioneered critical advancements in brain imaging research for cognitive aging and neurodegenerative disorders through systematic application of multiple imaging modalities. His team expertly employs structural MRI, functional connectivity mapping, brain water diffusion analysis, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, FDG-PET, and amyloid PET to unravel the biological mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease progression. His innovative development of sophisticated image-processing algorithms has enabled precise quantitative measurement of pathological brain changes, transforming how researchers assess neurodegenerative processes in living subjects. This methodological rigor has been instrumental in establishing reliable biomarkers for early detection of cognitive impairment and tracking disease progression across the Alzheimer's continuum.
As principal investigator for multiple major national research initiatives, Dr. Jack serves as the imaging center for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI4) and leads the SCAN project standardizing neuroimaging protocols across research centers. His longitudinal work with the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Patient Registry and Mayo Clinic Study of Aging has generated invaluable insights into normal cognitive aging versus pathological decline. He has received numerous prestigious honors including the Senior Scientist de Leone Neuroimaging Prize from the Alzheimer's Association in 2005 and Fellowship in the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. Dr. Jack continues to shape the future of dementia research through his ongoing investigation of disease pathways determined by amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration imaging biomarkers, maintaining his position at the forefront of translational neuroscience.
