Dr. Richard Mayeux is a preeminent neurologist and epidemiologist whose pioneering work has transformed the understanding of Alzheimer's disease and aging. He currently serves as the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Professor of Neurology, Psychiatry and Epidemiology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he holds the distinguished position of Chair of the Department of Neurology and Neurologist-in-Chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. His academic journey began with graduation with distinction from the University of Oklahoma School of Health Sciences, followed by specialized training in Internal Medicine at Boston City Hospital and Neurology at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. Further refining his expertise, Dr. Mayeux completed a fellowship in behavioral neurology with the late D. Frank Benson and graduate work in epidemiology at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.
Dr. Mayeux has led the groundbreaking Washington Heights-Inwood Community Aging Project (WHICAP) since 1989, establishing one of the most influential population-based investigations of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders in diverse communities. His innovative research integrates genetic risk factors and epidemiological principles to identify biological markers of susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases, fundamentally shifting the understanding of Alzheimer's as a condition resulting from complex interactions between multiple genetic variants and environmental factors. With over 350 publications to his name, his work has demonstrated how genetic epidemiology can be applied to understand the biological mechanisms underlying cognitive decline in aging populations. This multidisciplinary approach has positioned him as a world leader in identifying the genetic architecture of Alzheimer's disease across different ethnic groups.
As Director of the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center and Co-director of the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain, Dr. Mayeux has cultivated a premier research environment that bridges clinical neurology, genetics, and population science. His exceptional contributions have been recognized with numerous prestigious honors including the Potamkin Prize from the American Academy of Neurology, the John Stearns Award for Lifetime Achievement in Medicine from the New York Academy of Medicine, and the Henry Wisniewski Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alzheimer's Association. Elected to the National Academy of Medicine and as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Dr. Mayeux continues to shape the global research agenda through his mentorship of emerging scientists and leadership in major collaborative initiatives. His current work remains at the cutting edge of precision medicine approaches to Alzheimer's disease, focusing on early detection, risk stratification, and developing targeted interventions for diverse aging populations.
