Kristine Yaffe, MD

Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology & Epidemiology

We need to consider both modifiable risk factor reduction and better drugs for treatment as complementary strategies to address the dementia epidemic.

Current Work

Kristine is an internationally recognized expert in the epidemiology of dementia and cognitive aging. She is Scola Endowed Chair and Vice Chair, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Neurology and Epidemiology. She is also Director of the Center for Population Brain Health at UCSF. 

Personal Hero

Chuck Feeney

Words of Strength

Interdisciplinary, collaborative, innovative

Vision

The concept that the brain continues to grow and change even until late life is a powerful public health message. We need to consider both modifiable risk factor reduction and better drugs for treatment as complementary strategies to address the dementia epidemic.

Strategy

Kristine is a neuropsychiatrist committed to mentoring the next generation of leaders in aging research and to developing scalable strategies for dementia risk reduction across diverse populations.

Motivation

Kristine's lab's innovative population-based research has transformed the field of dementia research with breakthroughs in modifiable risk factors including physical activity, cardiovascular risk factors, sleep disorders and traumatic brain injury. These epidemiological investigations have shaped the current framework for prevention and treatment strategies.

Education & Experience

Kristine attended Yale University for her undergraduate degree, received her medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania, and completed residencies in neurology and psychiatry at UCSF. She is the Scola Endowed Chair and Vice Chair, Professor of Psychiatry, Neurology, and Epidemiology at UCSF and the Chief of NeuroPsychiatry and Director of the Memory Evaluation Clinic at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

Awards & Honors

2019
Elected to the National Academy of Medicine
2018, 2019
Global Highly Cited Researcher, Clarivate Analytics 
American Academy of Neurology
2017
Potamkin Prize for Dementia Research
American College of Psychiatrists
2015
Research Award in Geriatric Psychiatry
Thomson Reuters
2014
World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds
American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry
2014
Distinguished Scientist Award
UCSF
2013
Faculty Research Award in Clinical Science

Featured Publications