The Kristine Yaffe Group

Our Group focuses on the epidemiology of cognitive aging and dementia.

The driving force of the Yaffe Group is to investigate risk and resilience factors for cognitive aging and dementia, especially with the goal of identifying opportunities for prevention. Our work is based on the fascinating premise that 30% of dementia risk may be modifiable. We focus on epidemiological and population-based studies of cognitive aging and dementia across the life course, in addition to leading interventions to reduce dementia risk.

In parallel with this work, an essential priority of our Group is to support the next generation of leaders in aging research. We offer robust, interdisciplinary mentorship and training for mentees and junior investigators. With an emphasis on innovative approaches and bridging disciplines, studies from the Group continue to result in numerous high-impact publications and increase our global understanding of dementia prevention.

Our Group's current portfolio of projects range from studying risk factors, such as cardiovascular health and sleep quality, across the life course and assessing the impacts of traumatic brain injury on brain health, to disentangling the complex relationship between modifiable risk factors and social determinants of health in a wide range of populations. Learn more about what we are up to by visiting our Research page.

Our network

We emphasize a multidisciplinary perspective that bridges psychiatry, neurology, and epidemiology. This framework is further strengthened by our dynamic network of scientific partners at UCSF, including the Center for Population Brain Health, the Weill Institute for Neurosciences, the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, the Pepper Center, and the Global Brain Health Institute.

To learn more, please explore our Research and Publications pages.