Suffolk Reporter

Joe Verghese, MBBS, MD, MS, has been appointed Chair of the Department of Neurology at the Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM) at Stony Brook University. The appointment was made by Peter Igarashi, MD, Knapp Dean of the RSOM. Dr. Verghese is a recognized expert in gait and cognition in aging and will begin his new role on October 14.

Dr. Verghese joins RSOM after over two decades at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. He served as Professor of Neurology & Medicine and was the inaugural Chief of the Division of Cognitive & Motor Aging in the Department of Neurology at Einstein. Additionally, he held positions such as Murray D. Gross Memorial Faculty Scholar in Gerontology and Founding Director of the Montefiore Einstein Center for the Aging Brain.

“Our aging society has a great need for medical experts who will advance preventive and treatment strategies for age-related illnesses, and the selection of Dr. Verghese as our new Neurology Chair ensures that this area of medicine will thrive within the Renaissance School of Medicine,” says Dr. Igarashi. “Dr. Verghese is a leading physician researcher, innovator and educator in neurology and specifically with cognitive aging issues.”

Dr. Verghese’s research has focused on non-cognitive features in prodromal stages of dementia such as gait and defining Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome to identify older adults at high risk for dementia.

“By harnessing the expertise of our exceptional Neurology team at Stony Brook, I believe we can deepen our understanding of neurological disorders, train the next generation of neurologists, and significantly enhance treatment outcomes for our patients on Long Island and beyond,” says Dr. Verghese. “My primary goal as Chair is to cultivate a collaborative environment that not only fosters innovative research and comprehensive patient care but also prioritizes education."

Dr. Verghese graduated from St. John’s Medical College in Bangalore, India, completed postgraduate training in Internal Medicine and Neurology in the United Kingdom, followed by a residency at Einstein in 1998.

He has authored over 300 peer-reviewed articles and secured more than $200 million in research funding from NIH since 2002.

Dr. Verghese is affiliated with several professional organizations including being a Fellow of both the American Academy of Neurology and American Geriatrics Society among others.

Having mentored over 100 trainees during his time at Einstein, he received their Mentor of the Year Award twice.