Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology and Associate Professor of Medicine
Harvard School of Public Health
Department of Epidemiology
655 Huntington Avenue
Building II 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02115
T + 617.432.0093
E alberto.ascherio@channing.harvard.edu
Biography
Dr. Ascherio’s research is primarily devoted to identifying causes and risk factors for MS and other neurodegenerative diseases, as well as biomarkers that may provide information about susceptibility and that may lead to earlier diagnosis. These investigations are part of an international collaborative effort on the possible etiologic role of the Epstein-Barr virus and other infections, and the protective effect of vitamin D. Since 1997 he has directed the investigation of neurodegenerative diseases in several large cohorts comprising over 400,000 men and women who have provided detailed information on their dietary habits and lifestyle, in addition to blood or cheek cell samples for genetic and other laboratory analyses. Most recently, he has been directing a large prospective seroepidemiologic study based on the Department of Defense Serum Repository to identify prediagnostic markers of infection and nutritional status as they relate to the risk of MS.
Dr. Ascherio trained in internal medicine at the University of Milan, and subsequently practiced medicine and public health in Latin America and Africa. He completed his doctoral degree in epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Publications
PubMed: Ascherio A
Page last edited: October 25, 2014
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