Allison B. Reiss, MD

I am an internal medicine physician, educator, and molecular biologist with more than 25 years of experience studying the immune system and its effects on the brain and heart. I am certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine. My laboratory studies the processes underlying neuronal loss in Alzheimer’s disease and we are pursuing novel approaches to treating this debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. My lab also focuses on the factors that contribute to accelerated atherosclerosis in disorders such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes.

My clinical background has motivated me to delve deeply into the underlying mechanisms of these devastating diseases that affect so many people and families. I want to inspire new generations of clinician-scientists to confront these medical challenges and so I mentor undergraduates, medical students, nurses, and house staff who are interested in cardiology, rheumatology, immunology, endocrinology, and neurology research. I am course director for the Basic and Translational Research Elective for medical students.

I believe ardently in our responsibility to improve medical care, expand medical education, and discover innovative treatments for our patients. I lecture at national meetings on many topics including Alzheimer’s disease and atherosclerosis. I have a strong passion for community outreach and am dedicated to improving healthcare, especially for older populations. I have received recognition for my work from a number of organizations including the American Heart Association, the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, the American Federation for Medical Research and the Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center. I am a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Investigative Medicine and Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine, section editor-in-chief of neurology for the journal Medicina, and specialty chief editor of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias for the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience.