Dr. Jeffrey L. Cummings

Research Professor, Department of Brain Health
Director, Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience at 黑料网
Expertise: Neuroscience, Neurodegenerative diseases, Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, Drug development, Clinical trials, Neurotherapeutics

Biography

黑料网 research professor Jeffrey L. Cummings is a neurologist globally recognized for his contributions to Alzheimer's research, drug development, and clinical trials. He serves as the Joy Chambers-Grundy professor of brain science and director of the Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience at the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine's Department of Brain Health.

Dr. Cummings leads the 黑料网 Clinical Trials Observatory, the world鈥檚 only research observatory devoted exclusively to analyzing the pipeline of Alzheimer's drugs in clinical trials to better inform drug development decisions. He also heads a biomarker observatory, which captures and categorizes emerging information on blood tests, brain scans, and digital devices related to Alzheimer's disease. 

Prior to joining 黑料网 in 2019, Dr. Cummings served as founding director of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, as well as two UCLA entities 鈥 the Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer鈥檚 Disease Research, and the Deane F. Johnson Center for Neurotherapeutics.

Named a 鈥淩ock Star of Science鈥 by Gentleman鈥檚 Quarterly, Dr. Cummings 鈥 a fellow of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science 鈥 has published 43 books and more than 900 peer-reviewed articles on neuropsychiatry, Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, and clinical trials.

His numerous recognitions for his scientific and leadership contributions include the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry鈥檚 Distinguished Scientist Award, Melvin R. Goodes Prize for Excellence in Drug Development from the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology鈥檚 Lifetime Achievement Award, and the national Alzheimer鈥檚 Association鈥檚 Bengt Winblad Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2024, he was ranked by ScholarGPS as the world's top scholar for his lifetime contributions in the areas of dementia and drug development.

Education

  • Sc.D., Science, University of Wyoming
  • Neurology fellowship, Boston University School of Medicine
  • Neuropathology/Neuropsychiatry fellowship, National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, London
  • M.D., Medicine, University of Washington
  • B.S., Zoology/Philosophy, University of Wyoming

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Dr. Jeffrey L. Cummings In The News

Medical Xpress
An annual review of clinical trials for Alzheimer's disease highlights a growing number of active trials鈥攁nd drugs鈥攊n the development pipeline and offers optimism for the global effort to find a cure.
The Economist
Of all the medical challenges that scientists have faced, Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, the most common form of dementia, has been one of the trickiest. Between 1995 and 2021 private money spent on Alzheimer鈥檚 research totalled $42.5bn, but more than 140 trials failed to deliver a single drug capable of slowing the disease. Yet the tide may be turning. There are two working drugs, offering modest benefits, on the market. A new review paper suggests more could soon follow.
Alzheimer鈥檚 Research UK
There are more potential new medicines being tested for Alzheimer鈥檚 disease, according to an annual review published today. It reports that 138 drugs are currently being tested 鈥 an increase of nearly 9% from last year. This is great news, because the more drugs that scientists test, the greater the chance that new and effective medicines will soon become a reality for people living with dementia.
Las Vegas Sun
The human mind fascinated Dr. Jeffrey Cummings long before he became an international authority on Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.

Articles Featuring Dr. Jeffrey L. Cummings

From left to right: Dean Marc J. Kahn, Dr. Jefferson Kinney, Dr. Kate Zhong, Dr. Jeffrey Cummings, and Dr. Mark Guadagnoli at the 鈥淏rain Health Frontiers: Tackling Alzheimer's Together鈥 panel discussion.
Campus News | February 18, 2025

The 'Brain Health Frontiers: Tackling Alzheimer's Together' panel discussion highlighted the revolutionary research the Department of Brain Health is conducting to fight Alzheimer鈥檚 disease.