Christopher van Dyck, MD, one of the world’s leading experts on the neurobiology and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, was recently appointed the Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry.
The appointment is for a term of 10 years, renewable by the dean of the Yale School of Medicine (YSM).
Van Dyck is a professor of psychiatry, neurology, and neuroscience; director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Unit (ADRU) at YSM; director of the Yale Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC); and director of the Division of Aging and Geriatric Psychiatry.
He completed his B.A. at Yale in 1978 and earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in 1984 before completing his postdoctoral training at the Yale School of Medicine. In 1991, he joined YSM’s Department of Psychiatry, as associate research scientist, and was promoted to assistant professor in 1992. He was promoted to associate professor in 1997 and subsequently promoted to professor in 2007.
Van Dyck’s particular areas of expertise are neuroimaging and therapeutics of Alzheimer’s disease and brain aging. He has been a leader and made long-standing contributions to the brain-based neuroimaging biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease. In particular, he and his colleagues have led the development of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A) PET in characterizing synaptic changes in Alzheimer’s disease and their relationships with amyloid and tau pathogenesis, glucose metabolism, and fluid biomarkers of synaptic integrity. More recently, he served as the lead author of the publication that established lecanemab, an antibody for amyloid, as the first disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer’s disease (NEJM 2023). Lecanemab is now offered as a treatment at Yale New Haven Hospital. Further, van Dyck built and maintained the ADRU, which served as the clinical research arm for the NIA-supported ADRC, which he has co-established and co-led with Stephen Strittmatter. The ADRU has provided the primary clinical research home for trainees and junior faculty developing careers in translational/clinical dementia research. Several of his mentees are now faculty in the departments of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Van Dyck has received numerous awards for his achievements, including two awards in 2023, the “Progress” Award from Alzheimer’s Association and Distinguished Scientist Award from American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry.