Victor E. Alvarez

Assistant Professor, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine

Biography

Dr. Alvarez completed his undergraduate degree at Boston College and earned his MD from St. George’s University. He completed residency training in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, fellowship training in Oncologic Surgical Pathology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, General Surgical Pathology fellowship training at Danbury Hospital, and Neuropathology fellowship training at Brown University. Dr. Alvarez is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Boston University and manages laboratory and Brain Bank operations at the Bedford VA Hospital and the Boston VA Hospital, Jamaica Plain. He is a member of the New England Veterans Administration Medical Centers (VISN-1) Brain Banks and the Brain Banks for the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center, Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, and Framingham Heart Study.

Dr. Alvarez’s research interests center on the relationship between neurotrauma and neurodegenerative diseases. Much of his current work centers on standardizing Brain Banking protocols between the various centers. He is an acting neuropathologist involved with the brain banks for the Boston University Alzheimer Disease Center, CTE Center, and Framingham Heart Study as well as the PTSD brain bank. Dr. Alvarez is a member of the College of American Pathologists and the American Society of Clinical Pathologists.

Publications

  • Published 4/9/2025

    Han X, Zhang Y, Petrosky JN, Bald S, Sherva RM, Labadorf A, Cherry JD, Chung J, Farrell K, Abdolmohammadi B, Durape S, Martin BM, Palmisano JN, Farrell JJ, Alvarez VE, Huber BR, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Dams-O'Connor K, Jun GR, Lunetta KL, Goldstein LE, Katz DI, Cantu RC, Shenton ME, Cummings JL, Reiman EM, Stern RA, Alosco ML, Tripodis Y, Farrer LA, Stein TD, Crary JF, McKee AC, Mez J. A structural haplotype in the 17q21.31 MAPT region is associated with increased risk for chronic traumatic encephalopathy endophenotypes. Cell Rep Med. 2025 Apr 09; 102084. PMID: 40239644.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 3/6/2025

    Emrani S, Koutures A, Tripodis Y, Uretsky M, Abdolmohammadi B, Nowinski C, Daneshvar DH, Dwyer B, Katz DI, Goldstein LE, Cantu RC, Martin BM, Palmisano JN, Dams-O'Connor K, Crary JF, Stern RA, Mez J, Alvarez VE, Huber BR, McKee AC, Stein TD, Alosco ML. Characterizing white matter and vascular pathologies in brain donors exposed to repetitive head impacts. Acta Neuropathol. 2025 Mar 06; 149(1):24. PMID: 40047953.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 12/6/2024

    Nicks R, Shah A, Stathas SA, Kirsch D, Horowitz SM, Saltiel N, Calderazzo SM, Butler MLMD, Cormier KA, Aytan N, Tu-Zahra F, Mathias R, Faheem F, Marcus S, Spurlock E, Fishbein L, Esnault CD, Boden A, Rosen G, Xia W, Daley S, Meng G, Martin BR, Daneshvar DH, Nowinski CJ, Alosco ML, Mez J, Tripodis Y, Huber BR, Alvarez VE, Cherry JD, McKee AC, Stein TD. Neurodegeneration in the cortical sulcus is a feature of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and associated with repetitive head impacts. Acta Neuropathol. 2024 Dec 06; 148(1):79. PMID: 39643767.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 12/2/2024

    Abdolmohammadi B, Tuz-Zahra F, Uretsky M, Nicks R, Mosaheb S, Labonte J, Yhang E, Durape S, Martin B, Palmisano J, Nowinski C, Cherry JD, Alvarez VE, Huber BR, Dams-O'Connor K, Crary J, Dwyer B, Daneshvar DH, Goldstein LE, Au R, Katz DI, Kowall NW, Cantu RC, Stern RA, Alosco ML, Stein TD, Tripodis Y, McKee AC, Mez J. Duration of Ice Hockey Play and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Dec 02; 7(12):e2449106. PMID: 39630446.

    Read at: PubMed

  • Published 11/27/2024

    Uretsky M, Nair E, Burton R, Cronin SW, Rousseau D, Tuz-Zahra F, Durape S, Abdolmohammadi B, Baucom Z, Saltiel N, Shah A, Martin B, Palmisano J, Cherry JD, Daneshvar D, Dwyer B, Dams-O'Connor K, Crary J, Goldstein L, Huber B, Katz D, Kowall N, Cantu RC, Alvarez VE, Stern RA, Stein TD, Tripodis Y, McKee AC, Alosco ML, Mez J. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, Family History of Mental Illness, and Aggression in Brain Donors With Repetitive Head Impact Exposure. Neurology. 2024 Dec 24; 103(12):e210056. PMID: 39602665.

    Read at: PubMed

View All 95 Publications:   View Full Profile in BUMC

Other Positions

  • Investigator
    Framingham Heart Study
  • Investigator, Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
    Boston University
  • Investigator, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center
    Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
  • Investigator, PTSD Brain Bank
    VA Healthcare System

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