Thomas Wisniewski MD

Neurodegenerative, Dementia & Geriatrics

Lulu P. and David J. Levidow Professor of Neurology, Department of Neurology Professor, Department of Pathology Professor, Department of Psychiatry Director, Alzheimer's Disease Center Director, Pearl I. Barlow Center for Memory Evaluation and TreatmentAssoc Chair for Research, Department of Neurology NYU Neurology Associates NYU Pearl Barlow Center for Memory Evaluation and Treatment

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145 E 32nd StFl 2New York, NY 10016
Phone+1 212-263-3210
Fax+1 212-263-3273

Summary

Dr. Wisniewski is a Neurologist and Neuropathologist, who is the Director of the NYU NIH funded Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC). He also directs the Conformational Disorders Laboratory, the Center of Cognitive Neurology, the NYS NYU Center for Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease (CEAD), the Pearl Barlow Memory Disorders Center, the Division of Aging and Dementia and the Neuropathology Fellowship program. He is also on the Board of the NYC Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. He has been a member of the NYULH faculty council since 2012 and a member of the NYU Senate since 2013. His Laboratory has been working on elucidating the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and prion diseases, with an aim to develop possible therapeutic strategies. This work has led to >300 peer reviewed publications (h-index ~80), 25 issued US patents and has been continuously funded by NIH for >26yrs. His lab has helped develop novel therapeutic methods for AD in particular various immunotherapeutic approaches that affect both the adaptive and innate immune systems. His group was the first to document the effectiveness of vaccination in prion disease in vivo using wild type mice and were also the first group to effectively use mucosal immunization to partially prevent a prion infection (chronic wasting disease) in white tailed deer, which are naturally at risk for this prion infection. His lab has also developed both active and passive immunization specifically targeting abnormal oligomeric protein conformation, as well as a means to stimulate innate immunity to ameliorate AD pathology. Recently, his group developed an unbiased localized proteomic methodology that produces robust data utilizing archival formalin, fixed paraffin embedded human tissue and used this method perform the most extensive proteomic analysis of amyloid plaques, as well as to characterize the amyloid proteome of a distinct subtype of AD: rapidly progressive AD.

Education & Training

New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia Campus)Fellowship, Neuropathology, 1989 - 1990
New York Presbyterian Hospital (Columbia Campus)Residency, Pathology-Anatomic and Clinical, 1988 - 1989
NYU Grossman School of MedicineResidency, Neurology, 1985 - 1988
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences UniversityInternship, Transitional Year, 1984 - 1985
(King's College London - School of Medicine)Class of 1982
University of London, King's CollegeBS, 1980

Certifications & Licensure

NY State Medical License 1987 - 2026
American Board of Pathology Neuropathology
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Neurology

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

ANA Award for Clinical and Scientific Excellence – Career Based Contributions over 15 years American Neurological Association, 2023
Casimir Funk Award in the Natural Sciences Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America, 2023
Elected as Distinguished Fellow Kosciuszko Foundation Collegium of Eminent Scientists, 2014
CMS Meaningful Use Stage 1 Certification EpicCare Ambulatory EMR, Epic Systems Corporation, 2012-2013
Prion 2009 Prize International Prion 2009 Meeting, 2009
Dr. Henry & Krystyna Wisniewski Memorial Award Alzheimer's Disease Foundation of Staten Island, 2009
Best Clinical Paper of 2009 Springer and the European Association of Nuclear Medicine, 2009
Listed in "Best Doctors in America" bestdoctors.com, 2008
Alzheimer Award The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 2002
Zenith Award Alzheimer's Disease Association, 1999
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Publications & Presentations

PubMed

1 citations
hnRNP A1, hnRNP A2B1, and hnRNP K are dysregulated in tauopathies, but do not colocalize with tau pathology.
Tomas Kavanagh, Kaleah Balcomb, Diba Ahmadi Rastegar, Guinevere F Lourenco, Thomas Wisniewski
Brain Pathology. 2025-05-01
1 citations
Lewy pathology formation in patient-derived GBA1 Parkinson's disease midbrain organoids.
Emanuele Frattini, Gaia Faustini, Gianluca Lopez, Emma Veronica Carsana, Mattia Tosi
Brain. 2025-04-03
Nerve growth factor precursor alterations in neuron-derived extracellular vesicles from individuals with Down syndrome along the Alzheimer's disease continuum.
Natalia Valle-Tamayo, Mateus Rozalem Aranha, Rocío Pérez-González, Sara Serrano-Requena, Laura Videla
Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2025-04-01

Journal Articles

Blocking the Apolipoprotein E/Amyloid Beta Interaction in Triple Transgenic Mice Ameliorates Alzheimer's Disease Related Amyloid Betaeta and Tau Pathology
Liu S, Breitbart A, Sun Y, Mehta PD, Boutajangout A, Scholtzova H, Wisniewski T, Journal of Neurochemistry, 1/1/2014
Two Phase 3 Trials of Bapineuzumab in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease
Salloway S, Sperling R, Fox NC, Blennow K, Klunk W, Raskind M, Sabbagh M, Honig LS, Porsteinsson AP, Ferris S, Reichert M, Ketter N, Nejadnik B, Guenzler V, Miloskavsk..., New England Journal of Medicine, 1/1/2014
Nerve Growth Factor Metabolic Dysfunction in Down's Syndrome Brains: a Cause for Cholinergic Degeneration?
Iulita MF, Carmo SD, Ower A, Fortress A, Aguilar LF, Hanna M, Wisniewski T, Granholm AC, Buhusi M, Busciglio J, Cuello AC, Brain, 1/1/2014
Stereological Study of the Neuronal Number and Volume of 38 Brain Subdivisions of Subjects Diagnosed with Autism Reveals Significant Alterations Restricted to the Stri...
Wegiel J, Flory M, Kuchna I, Nowicki K, Ma SY, Imaki H, Wegiel J, Cohen IL, London E, Wisniewski T, Brown WT, Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 1/1/2014
Brain-region-specific Alterations of the Trajectories of Neuronal Volume Growth throughout the Lifespan in Autism
Wegiel J, Flory M, Kuchna I, Nowicki N, Ma SY, Imaki H, Wegiel J, Cohen IL, London E, Brown WT, Wisniewski T, Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 1/1/2014
Prevalence of Cognitive Impairment No Dementia in a Rural Area of Northern China
Zhang Y, Shi Z, Liu M, Liu S, Yue W, Liu S, Xiang L, Lu H, Liu P, Wisniewski T, Wang J, Ji Y, Neuroepidemiology, 1/1/2014
Toll-like Receptor 9 Stimulation for Reduction of Amyloid Beta and Tau Alzheimer's Disease Related Pathology
Scholtzova H, Chianchiano P, Pan J, Sun Y, Goni F, Mehta PD, Wisniewski T, Acta Neuropathologica Communications, 1/1/2014
Systematic Review of Potential Health Risks Posed by Pharmaceutical, Occupational and Consumer Exposures to Metallic and Nanodot Aluminum, Aluminum Oxide and the Solub...
Willhite CC, Karyakina NA, Yokel RA, Mornoli F, Yenugadhati N, Wisniewski TM, Ian MF, Krewski A, Krewski D, Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 1/1/2014
Alzheimer's Disease: Brain Desmosterol Levels
Thomas Wisniewski, MD, Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine
Alzheimer's Disease: Focus on Desmosterol
Wisniewski T, Newman K, Javitt NB, Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 1/1/2013
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 Mediates Signaling from Alzheimer ABeta Oligomer Bound to Prion Protein
Um JW, Kaufman AC, Kostylev M, Heiss JK, Stagi M, Takahashi H, Kerrisk ME, Vortmeyer A, Wisniewski T, Guther EC, Koleske J, Nygaard HB, Strittmatter SM, Neuron, 1/1/2013
Apolipoprotein E4 Frequency Is Increased among Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease Patients in a Chinese Population
Ji Y, Liu M, Huo YR, Liu S, Shi Z, Liu S, Wisniewski T, Wang J, Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 1/1/2013
Influence of CD40 on Prion Disease and the Immune Response to Recombinant PrP
Rubenstein R, Chiu A, Chang B, Wisniewski T, Journal of Neuroimmunology, 1/1/2013
Contribution of Olivo-floccular Circuitry Developmental Defects to Atypical Gaze in Autism
Wegiel J, Kuchna I, Nowicki K, Imaki H, Wegiel J, Yong Ma S, Azmitia EC, Banerjee P, Flory M, Cohen IL, London E, Brown TW, Hare KC, Wisniewski T, Brain Research, 1/1/2013
Immunomodulation Targeting Both ABeta and Tau Pathological Conformers Ameliorates Alzheimer's Disease Pathology in TgSwDI and 3xTg Mouse Models
Goni F, Herline K, Peyser D, Wong K, Ji Y, Sun Y, Mehta P, Wisniewski T, Journal of Neuroinflammation, 1/1/2013
Clinicopathological Stratification of Idiopathic Autism Associated with Duplications 15q112-q13
Wegiel J, Schanen NC, Cook EH, Brown WT, Kuchna I, Nowicki K, Wegiel J, Imaki H, Ma SY, London E, Wisniewski T, Hof. Academic Press, 1/1/2013
The Innate Immune System in Alzheimer's Disease
Boutajangout A., Wisniewski T, International Journal of Cell Biology, 1/1/2013
Notch Signaling Proteins HES-1 and Hey-1 Bind to Insulin Degrading Enzyme (IDE) Proximal Promoter and Repress Its Transcription and Activity: Implications for Cellular...
Leal MC, Surace EI, Holgado MP, Ferrari CC Tarelli R, Pitossi F, Wisniewski T, Castano EM, Morelli L, BBA-Molecular Cell Research, 1/1/2012
Cerebrospinal Fluid Amyloid Beta Levels Are Lower and F2-isoprostanes Higher in Individuals with Major Depressive Disorder
Pomara N, Bruno D, Sarreal AS, Hernando RT, Nierenberg J, Petkova E, Sidtis JJ, Wisniewski T, Mehta PD, Pratico D, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, American Journal of Psychiatry, 1/1/2012
Differences between the Patterns of Developmental Abnormalities in Autism Associated with Duplications 15q112q13 and Idiopathic Autism
Wegiel J, Schanen NC, Cook EH, Sigman M, Brown WT, Kuchna I, Nowicki K, Wegiel J, Imaki H, Ma SY, Marchi E, Wierzba-Bobrowicz T, Chauhan A, Chauhan V, Cohen IL, London..., Journal of Neuropathology and Experiment Neurology, 1/1/2012
Influence of Mabs on PrPSc Formation Using in Vitro and Cell-free Systems
Chang B, Petersen R, Wisniewski T, Rubenstein R, PloS ONE, 1/1/2012
Alzheimer Amyloid-Beta Oligomer Bound to Post-synaptic Prion Protein Signals via Fyn to Alter NMDA Receptors, Dendritic Spines and Seizures
Um JW, Nygaard HB, Heiss JK, Kostylev MA, Stagi M, Takahashi H, Vortmeyer A, Wisniewski T, Gunther EC, Strittmatter SM, Nature Neuroscience, 1/1/2012
Abnormal Intracellular Accumulation and Extracellular ABeta Deposition in Idiopathic and Dup 15 Autism
Wegiel J, Frackowiak J, Kolecka BM, Schanen NC, Cook Jr EH, Sigman M, Brown WT, Kuchna I, Wegiel J, Nowicki K, Imaki H, Ma SY, Chauhan A,Chauhan V, Miller DL, Mehta PD..., PloS ONE, 1/1/2012
In Vivo Imaging of Amyloid Plaques in Transgenic Mice
Wadghiri YZ, Hoang DM, Wisniewski T, Sigurdsson EM, Methods in Molecular Biology, 1/1/2012
Correlation of Alzheimer's Disease Neuropathologic Changes and Cognitive Status: a Review of the Literature
Nelson PT, Alafuzoff I, Bigio EH, Bouras C, Braak H, Cairns NJ, Davies P, Del Tredic K, Duychaerts C, Frosch MP, Hof PR, Hulette CM, Hyman BT, Iwatsubo T, Jellinger KA..., Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, 1/1/2012
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Books/Book Chapters

The Neuroscience of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Chapter: Clinicopathological Stratification of Idiopathic Autism Associated with Duplications 15q11.2-q13
Page 347 - 359Wegiel J, Schanen NC, Cook EH, Brown WT, Kuchna I, Nowicki K, Wegiel J, Imaki H, Ma SY, London E, Wisniewski TEditors: Joseph D. Buxbaum & Patrick R..Elsevier, Amsterdam2012
Prions and Diseases
Chapter: Immunomodulation
Page 267 - 287Wisniewski, T, Goni, FEditors: Zou, W. Q., Gambetti, P..Springer, New York2012
Neuroimaging of Cognitive Disorders: Commentary
Chapter: Chapter 28 in Understanding Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Page 395 - 401de Leon MJ, Rusinek H, Tsui W, Wisniewski T, Wegiel J, George AEditors: Shenton ME, Turetsky BI.Cambridge University Press2010
Autism: Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, and Immune Abnormalities
Chapter: Type, Topography, and Sequelae of Neuropathological Changes: Shaping Clinical Phenotype of Autism
Page 279 - 282Wegiel J, Wisniewski T, Chauhan A, Chauhan V, Kuchna I, Nowicki K, Imaki H, Wegiel J, Ma SY, Bobrowicz T, Cohen I, London E, Brown TWCRC Press, Boca Raton, FL2010
Neurology in Clinical Practice
Chapter: Infections of the Nervous System: Prion Diseases
Page 1567 - 1581Sadowski M, Verma A, Wisniewski TEditors: Bradley W.Edition 5th,2008
Animal Vaccination - Part 1: Development, Production and Use of Vaccines
Chapter: Is Vaccination against Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Feasible?
Page 243 - 251Wisniewski T, Chabalgoity J.A. & Goni F.Editors: P.-P. Pastoret, M. Lombard & A.A. Schudel.2007
Protein Misfolding. Aggregation and Conformational Diseases
Chapter: Apolipoproteins in Different Amyloidoses
Page 329 - 350Sadowski M, Wisniewski TEditors: Uversky VN, Fink AL.Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers2006
Amyloid Proteins: Methods in Molecular Biology
Chapter: MR Imaging of Amyloid Plaques in Transgenic Mice
Page 365 - 380Wadghiri YZ, Sigurdsson EM, Wisniewski T, Turnbull DHEditors: Sigurdsson EM.Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ2005
Neurology in Clinical Practice
Chapter: Prion Diseases
Page 1613 - 1630Sadowski M, Verma A, Wisniewski TEditors: Bradley W.Edition 4th,2004
The Living Brain and Alzheimer's Disease
Chapter: In Vivo Magnetic Resonance of Amyloid Plaques in Alzheimer's Disease Model Mice
Page 47 - 59Sigurdsson EM, Wadghiri YZ, Sadowski M, Elliot JI, Li Y, Scholtzova H, Tang CY, Aguilnaldo G, Duff K, Turnbull DH, Wisniewski TEditors: Hyman B..Springer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg2004
100 Questions and Answers about Alzheimer's Disease
Wisniewski T, Sadowski MJones and Bartlett Publishers2004
Dementia. Presentations, Differential Diagnosis, and Nosology
Chapter: Alzheimer Dementia Neuropathology
Page 89 - 120Wegiel J, Wisniewski T, Reisberg B, Silverman WEditors: V. Olga B. Emery, PhD. and Thomas E. Oxman, MD..The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London2003
Molecular and Cellular Pathology in Prion Diseases
Chapter: Chapter 13: Conformation as a Therapeutic Target in the Prionoses and other Neurodegenerative Conditions
Page 223 - 236Wisniewski T, Sigurdsson EM, Aucouturier P, Frangione BEditors: Baker HF.The Humana Press, Inc., Totowa, NJ2001
An Atlas of Alzheimer's Disease
Chapter: Amyloid: Chemical and Molecular Considerations
Page 109 - 130Wisniewski T, Frangione BEditors: M. DeLeon.Parthenon Publishing, Carnforth, U.K.1999
Progress in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases
Chapter: HB-GAM, a Novel Amyloid Associated Protein, Is Present in Prion Related Disorders and Other Cerebral Amyloidoses
Page 121 - 131Lalowski M, Baumann M, Rauvala H, Frangione B, Wisniewski TEditors: Fischer et al..Plenum Press, New York1998
Apolipoprotein E and Alzheimer's Disease
Chapter: Chaperoning Amyloid in Alzheimer's Disease: The Art of Avoiding Sticky Situations?
Page 151 - 160Frangione B, Castano EM, Prelli F, Soto C, Ghiso J, Wisniewski TEditors: A.D.Roses, K.H. Weisgraber and Y.Christen.Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg1996
Research Advances in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders
Chapter: Amyloids, Genes and Chaperones
Page 563 - 568Frangione B, Wisniewski T, Castano E, Ghiso JEditors: Iqbal K., Mortimer JA, Winblad B, Wisniewski T.John Wiley1995
Research Advances in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders.
Chapter: The Blood Brain Barrier Regulates Transport of Alzheimer's Amyloid Betaeta and Apolipoproteins E and J
Page 585 - 595Zlokovic, B., Mackic, J., Martel, C., Wisniewski, T., Frangione, B., and Ghiso, J.John Wiley & Sons, Chichester (England)1995
Amyloid and Amyloidosis 1993
Chapter: Alzheimer's Disease and Amyloid Beta
Page 310 - 315Frangione B, Wisniewski T, Ghiso JEditors: Kiselevsky R, Benson MD, Frangione B, Gauldie J, Muckle TJ, Young ID.Parthenon Publishing1994
Alzheimer's Disease:Advances in Clinical and Basic Research
Chapter: Alzheimer's Disease and Dutch Variant: "Opposing Faces of a Single Coin."
Page 387 - 396Frangione B, Wisniewski T, Tagliavini F, Bugiani O, Ghiso JEditors: Corain B, Iqbal K, Nicolin M.Wiley1993
Neurodevelopment, Aging and Cognition
Chapter: Alzheimer's Disease and the Cerebral Amyloidoses
Page 157 - 172Wisniewski T.M., Wisniewski HMEditors: Ivica Kostovic, Stevo Knezevic, Henry M. Wisniewski and George J. Spilich.Birkhauser, Boston1992
Intracranial Hemorrhages: Etiology, Pathogenesis, Clinical Features and Treatment
Chapter: Pituitary Apoplexy
Post K, Onesti S, Wisniewski TEditors: Kauffman H.Raven Press1991
The Claustrum: Structural, Functional, and Clinical Neuroscience
Chapter: Delayed Development of the Claustrum in Autism
Page 225 - 235Wegiel J, Morys J, Kowianski P, Ma SY, Kuchna I, Nowicki K, Imaki H, Wegiel J, Flory M, Brown TW, Wisniewski TEditors: Smythies JR, Edelstein LR, Ramachandran VS.Academic Press
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Other

Mad Cow Disease and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
Wisniewski T, eMedicine Neurology
http://www.emedicine.com/neuro
1/1/2004
Prion Related Diseases
Wisniewski T, eMedicine Neurology
http://www.emedicine.com/neuro/topic662.htm
1/1/2002

Press Mentions

What Is the Brain Fog That Affects Covid-19 Patients?July 23rd, 2022
Is Long COVID a Syndrome or a Series of Coronavirus Complications? What We Know Now About Lingering SymptomsJanuary 25th, 2022
Biomarkers of Neurodegeneration Elevated in Hospitalized Covid-19 PatientsJanuary 18th, 2022
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