Rock Stars of Science

Mount Sinai Professor in Alzheimer's Disease Research Professor of Neurology & Psychiatry and Associate Director, Mount Sinai Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Chairman Emeritus of the National Medical and Scientific Advisory Council of the Alzheimer's Association.

A Leading researcher developing drugs for prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's through beta amyloid management

Dr. Gandy is an international expert in the metabolism of the sticky substance called amyloid that clogs the brain in patients with Alzheimer's. In 1989, Gandy and his team discovered the first drugs that could lower formation of amyloid. Dr. Gandy has written more than 150 original papers, chapters and reviews on this topic. Dr. Gandy has received continuous NIH funding for his research on amyloid metabolism since 1986.

SELF-EXAMINATION

Occupation:Neurologist and cell biologist.

Alternative career choice: Hermit.

I tend to approach life: With a sense of amusement and disbelief.

My mentor is/was: Professors that I met during college, graduate school, medical school, residency, and postdoctoral training.

Biggest misconceptions about me or my work: That I know what I'm doing.

Worst part-time job ever: Institute director.

Longest med school study session: Is still going on...

Best moment in medicine/research: When my first experiment on Alzheimer's disease succeeded.

Worst moment in medicine/research: Reading my first NIH pink sheets.

The title of the story of my life will be: Relentless

Musical instrument I play: Clarinet.

I lent my time to the “Rock Stars of Science” campaign because: Anything that attracts laypeople to science is worth my time.

The hardest part about being a “Rock Star of Science” is: The fitted shirt.

BIO CONTINUED

Dr. Gandy is a member of the Faculty of 1000 Biology and serves as a Consulting Editor for The Journal of Clinical Investigation. He also serves on the Editorial Advisory Boards for the journals Public Library of Science-Medicine (PLoSM), Neurodegenerative Diseases, and Current Alzheimer Research. He is Associate Editor of the journals Molecular Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders. From 1996-2006, Dr. Gandy was Director of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories/Wellcome Trust Annual Summer Course on the Neurobiology of Human Neurological Disorders. In 2000, he became chief organizer for the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories Bi-Annual Winter Biotechnology Conference on Therapeutic Opportunities in Neurodegenerative Diseases and continues in that role until 2010.

Dr. Gandy has appeared numerous times on television and in print, including:

  •   Jim Lehrer Newshour
  •   The CBS Early Show
  •   NBC Nightly News
  •   ABC News On Call+

Dr. Gandy has spoken before Congress on several occasions. Click here to view PDFs of two of his statements - on 5/03/2005 & on 3/20/2007.

Dr. Gandy received both his M.D. and Ph.D at the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed an internship in Internal Medicine at the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and a residency in Neurology at Cornell University Medical College. Dr. Gandy completed postdoctoral training at The Rockefeller University, where, in 1991, he was appointed assistant professor in the laboratory of Paul Greengard, 2000 Laureate of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. From 1992-1997, Gandy was Associate Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at Cornell University Medical College. From 1997-2001, he was Professor of Psychiatry and of Cell Biology at New York University and The Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research. From 2001-2007, he served as Paul C. Brucker, M.D., Professor of Neuroscience at Jefferson Medical College and Founding Director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences. In 2007, he assumed his current post as Mount Sinai Professor of Alzheimer's Disease Research at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

VIDEO CLIPS:

ABC News, On Call Alzheimer's

ABC News, On Call Alzheimer's, “What Is Alzheimer's Disease, And How Does It Affect The Brain?”

ABC Nightline's “Terry Moran's Moment of Truth” features Alzheimer's story and appearance by Cure Alzheimer's Researcher, Sam Gandy:

Part 1: A personal journey that looks at testing to combat Alzheimer's disease

Part 2: A personal journey that looks at testing to combat Alzheimer's disease