Robert A. Stern, PhD

Professor, Neurology

Robert Stern
617.358.5375
72 E. Concord St Robinson (B)

Biography

I am Co-Founder and Director of Clinical Research for the Boston University (BU) Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center. A major focus of my current research is to develop methods of detecting and diagnosing CTE during life and to better understand the risk factors for later-life neurological consequences of repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries in former American football players, soccer players, and other contact sport athletes. I was the principal investigator of the first grant funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study CTE, for the DETECT Study. Subsequently, I was the lead investigator of the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project, a $17 million, multi-center, 8-year study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). I was also the principal investigator of the Head Impact & Trauma Surveillance Study (HITSS; also funded by NIH), a longitudinal online assessment of 4800 former American football players and soccer players (age 40 years or older) who participated at any level. My other major area of funded research includes the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. From 2010-2019, I was the Clinical Core Director of the NIA-funded BU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC); I remain a Senior Investigator for the BU ADRC. In these roles, I have been honored to oversee a multidisciplinary group of talented scientists and clinicians and direct the center’s longitudinal research registry, as well as several NIH- and industry-funded diagnostic, prevention, and treatment trials. In addition, I have developed several commonly used tests and instruments, including the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB). I have had leadership positions in several training programs and have mentored over 40 trainees.

Other Positions

  • Professor, Anatomy & Neurobiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Professor, Neurosurgery, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Graduate Faculty (Primary Mentor of Grad Students), Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Graduate Medical Sciences
  • Director of Clinical Research, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Education

  • University of Rhode Island, PhD
  • University of Rhode Island, MA
  • Wesleyan University, BA

Publications

  • Published on 3/6/2024

    Culhane JE, Jackson C, Tripodis Y, Nowinski C, Dams-O'Connor K, Pettway E, Uretsky M, Abdolmohammadi B, Nair E, Martin B, Palmisano J, Katz DI, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Goldstein LE, Kowall NW, Cantu RC, Stern RA, Huber B, Crary J, Mez J, Stein TD, McKee AC, Alosco ML. Lack of association of informant-reported traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy. J Neurotrauma. 2024 Mar 06. PMID: 38445389.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 2/26/2024

    Banks SJ, Yhang E, Tripodis Y, Su Y, Protas H, Adler CH, Balcer LJ, Bernick C, Mez JB, Palmisano J, Barr WB, Wethe JV, Dodick DW, Mcclean MD, Martin B, Hartlage K, Turner A, Turner RW, Malhotra A, Colman M, Pasternak O, Lin AP, Koerte IK, Bouix S, Cummings JL, Shenton ME, Reiman EM, Stern RA, Alosco ML. Clinical Outcomes and Tau Pathology in Retired Football Players: Associations With Diagnosed and Witnessed Sleep Apnea. Neurol Clin Pract. 2024 Apr; 14(2):e200263. PMID: 38425491.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 2/26/2024

    Alexander A, Alvarez VE, Huber BR, Alosco ML, Mez J, Tripodis Y, Nicks R, Katz DI, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Martin B, Palmisano J, Goldstein LE, Crary JF, Nowinski C, Cantu RC, Kowall NW, Stern RA, Delalle I, McKee AC, Stein TD. Cortical-sparing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CSCTE): a distinct subtype of CTE. Acta Neuropathol. 2024 Feb 26; 147(1):45. PMID: 38407651.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 2/9/2024

    van Amerongen S, Pulukuri SV, Tuz-Zahra F, Tripodis Y, Cherry JD, Bernick C, Geda YE, Wethe JV, Katz DI, Alosco ML, Adler CH, Balcer LJ, Ashton NJ, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Daneshvar DH, Colasurdo EA, Iliff JJ, Li G, Peskind ER, Shenton ME, Reiman EM, Cummings JL, Stern RA. Inflammatory biomarkers for neurobehavioral dysregulation in former American football players: findings from the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project. J Neuroinflammation. 2024 Feb 09; 21(1):46. PMID: 38336728.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 2/6/2024

    Alosco ML, White M, Bell C, Faheem F, Tripodis Y, Yhang E, Baucom Z, Martin B, Palmisano J, Dams-O'Connor K, Crary JF, Goldstein LE, Katz DI, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Nowinski C, Cantu RC, Kowall NW, Stern RA, Alvarez VE, Huber BR, Stein TD, McKee AC, Mez J. Cognitive, functional, and neuropsychiatric correlates of regional tau pathology in autopsy-confirmed chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Mol Neurodegener. 2024 Feb 06; 19(1):10. PMID: 38317248.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 12/30/2023

    Montoliu-Gaya L, Alosco ML, Yhang E, Tripodis Y, Sconzo D, Ally M, Grötschel L, Ashton NJ, Lantero-Rodriguez J, Sauer M, Gomes B, Nilsson J, Brinkmalm G, Sugarman MA, Aparicio HJ, Martin B, Palmisano JN, Steinberg EG, Simkin I, Turk KW, Budson AE, Au R, Farrer L, Jun GR, Kowall NW, Stern RA, Goldstein LE, Qiu WQ, Mez J, Huber BR, Alvarez VE, McKee AC, Zetterberg H, Gobom J, Stein TD, Blennow K. Optimal blood tau species for the detection of Alzheimer's disease neuropathology: an immunoprecipitation mass spectrometry and autopsy study. Acta Neuropathol. 2023 Dec 30; 147(1):5. PMID: 38159140.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 12/22/2023

    Su Y, Protas H, Luo J, Chen K, Alosco ML, Adler CH, Balcer LJ, Bernick C, Au R, Banks SJ, Barr WB, Coleman MJ, Dodick DW, Katz DI, Marek KL, McClean MD, McKee AC, Mez J, Daneshvar DH, Palmisano JN, Peskind ER, Turner RW, Wethe JV, Rabinovici G, Johnson K, Tripodis Y, Cummings JL, Shenton ME, Stern RA, Reiman EM. Flortaucipir tau PET findings from former professional and college American football players in the DIAGNOSE CTE research project. Alzheimers Dement. 2023 Dec 22. PMID: 38134231.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 12/20/2023

    Ly MT, Tuz-Zahra F, Tripodis Y, Adler CH, Balcer LJ, Bernick C, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Peskind ER, Au R, Banks SJ, Barr WB, Wethe JV, Bondi MW, Delano-Wood LM, Cantu RC, Coleman MJ, Dodick DW, McClean MD, Mez JB, Palmisano J, Martin B, Hartlage K, Lin AP, Koerte IK, Cummings JL, Reiman EM, Shenton ME, Stern RA, Bouix S, Alosco ML. Association of Vascular Risk Factors and CSF and Imaging Biomarkers With White Matter Hyperintensities in Former American Football Players. Neurology. 2024 Jan 23; 102(2):e208030. PMID: 38165330.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 11/21/2023

    Saltiel N, Tripodis Y, Menzin T, Olaniyan A, Baucom Z, Yhang E, Palmisano JN, Martin B, Uretsky M, Nair E, Abdolmohammadi B, Shah A, Nicks R, Nowinski C, Cantu RC, Daneshvar DH, Dwyer B, Katz DI, Stern RA, Alvarez VE, Huber B, Boyle PA, Schneider JA, Mez J, McKee AC, Alosco ML, Stein TD. Relative Contributions of Mixed Pathologies to Cognitive and Functional Symptoms in Brain Donors Exposed to Repetitive Head Impacts. Ann Neurol. 2024 Feb; 95(2):314-324. PMID: 37921042.

    Read at: PubMed
  • Published on 11/14/2023

    Alosco ML, Adler CH, Dodick DW, Tripodis Y, Balcer LJ, Bernick C, Banks SJ, Barr WB, Wethe JV, Palmisano JN, Martin B, Hartlage K, Cantu RC, Geda YE, Katz DI, Mez J, Cummings JL, Shenton ME, Reiman EM, Stern RA. Examination of parkinsonism in former elite American football players. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2024 Mar; 120:105903. PMID: 37981539.

    Read at: PubMed

View 233 more publications: View full profile at BUMC

View all profiles