Robert A. Stern, PhD

Biography

I am Co-founder and Director of Clinical Research for the Boston University (BU) Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) Center. For the past 16 years, the primary focus of my research has been the long-term consequences of repetitive mild traumatic brain injuries (symptomatic concussions and more frequent asymptomatic subconcussive or nonconcussive trauma), including the neurodegenerative disease, CTE. Along with a superb group of collaborators at BU and elsewhere, I have been conducting research involving: clinicopathological correlation in CTE; the examination of risk and resilience factors (e.g., genetic, head impact exposure, cognitive reserve, and importantly, racial disparities and social determinants of health) for CTE; the assessment of potential fluid and neuroimaging biomarkers for the detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of CTE; and the development of diagnostic criteria for Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome, the clinical syndrome associated with CTE neuropathology. I was the Contact mPI for the original DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project (U01NS093334; other mPIs, Drs. Cummings, Reiman, and Shenton) and I am an mPI (other mPIs, Drs. Alosco, Reiman, and Rabinovici) on the NINDS-funded DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project-II (R01NS139383). I was the PI of the NINDS-funded R01 grant (the first grant funded by NIH focused on CTE) for the DETECT Study. I was also the PI of an NINDS/NIA R01 grant examining these issues in female and male former soccer players as well as former American football players in the HITSS project (Dr. Alosco transitioned to PI one year ago). From 2010-2019, I was the Clinical Core Leader of the BU Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC); I stepped down from that position in 2019 to focus on my CTE-related research, though I remain a Senior Investigator for the BU ADRC. I have served as the site PI on several multi-center NIH- and industry-sponsored clinical trials for treating and preventing Alzheimer's disease (AD). I have published extensively on the use of various neuropsychological tests and novel biomarkers in the differential diagnosis of AD and AD Related Dementias (ADRD). I have been a member of medical advisory boards/committees for Biogen and several other biotech and pharmaceutical companies and foundations, regarding assessment and diagnostic issues in AD, including improving cognitive screening in primary care medicine. I am a clinical neuropsychologist with a specialty in evaluating and diagnosing cognitive disorders, including those from AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. I have also been honored to work with countless patients and their caregivers as they navigate through the complex journey with dementia. In addition, I have developed several commonly used clinical tests and instruments, including the Neuropsychological Assessment Battery (NAB), the Visual Analog Mood Scales (VAMS), and the Boston Qualitative Scoring System (BQSS) for the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure. I have had leadership positions in several research centers and training programs and have mentored over 40 fellows and other trainees. Although I transitioned to working half-time in December 2023, I remain active, committed, and passionate about my current research and academic responsibilities.