Alberto Ascherio
Primary Faculty

Alberto Ascherio

Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition

Nutrition

Other Positions

Faculty Affiliate in the Department of Epidemiology

Epidemiology

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Professor of Medicine

Medicine-Brigham and Women's Hospital

Harvard Medical School


Overview

Alberto Ascherio, MD, DrPH, is a Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and a Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ascherio received a Doctorate in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Milan and worked for several years in medicine and public health in Latin America and Africa before obtaining a Master and Doctorate in Public Health from Harvard. Dr. Ascherio has focused much of his work over the past 25 years on discovering the causes of neurodegenerative diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and cognitive decline. He has conducted longitudinal studies in many populations, including, among others, the Nurses’ Health Studies I and II, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the Cancer Prevention Study-II, the U.S Army, Navy and Air Force, the Danish MS Registry, and the Finnish Maternal Cohort. These studies have contributed to identifying several biomarkers and modifiable risk factors for MS (e.g. cigarette smoking, vitamin D insufficiency, and childhood obesity), Parkinson (pesticide exposure, low caffeine intake, low physical activity), and ALS (cigarette smoking, military service, low body mass index), and have in some cases provided the rationale for randomized trials (e.g. on physical activity in Parkinson disease). His most notable scientific contribution stems from the 20-year long investigation of over 10 million young adults that led to the recent breakthrough discovery that MS is a rare complication of infection with the Epstein-Barr virus.

Dr. Ascherio has published over 400 original research papers and reviews. His work has been recognized with several awards, including a Doctor of Medicine honoris causa from the University of Southern Denmark in recognition of his work on vitamin D insufficiency as a risk factor for MS.

MD, 1978
University of Milan

DrPH, 1992
Harvard University


Bibliography


News

Omega-3 fatty acids linked with slower progression of ALS

Consuming omega-3 fatty acids—particularly alpha-linolenic acid, a nutrient found in foods including flaxseeds, walnuts, and chia, canola, and soybean oils—may help slow the progression of disease in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to a new study…

Epstein-Barr virus may be leading cause of multiple sclerosis

For immediate release: January 13, 2022 Boston, MA – Multiple sclerosis (MS), a progressive disease that affects 2.8 million people worldwide and for which there is no definitive cure, is likely caused by infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV),…

Looking at the links between smoking and multiple sclerosis

The risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS) among heavy or regular smokers is about twice that of nonsmokers, according to Alberto Ascherio, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “The data on…