Steven T. DeKosky, MD, is the chairman of Neurology. He is also director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center funded by the National Institute on Aging, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Center on Detection, Diagnosis and Intervention in Dementia (DDID). Under Dr. DeKosky’s leadership, the department continues to make significant advances in academics, research, and clinical services. Our growth in research funding, clinical patient base, and educational programs has been larger than any other recent period for our department; the Department ranked #10 in the nation for NIH funding in 2005. Dr. DeKosky’s vision and international reputation have resulted in enhanced research funding, ability to recruit and retain faculty, and continue the development of neurology clinical services.

Dr. DeKosky is a neurologist with broad interdisciplinary research interests and accomplishments in neurochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, epidemiology and clinical neuropsychiatry of dementia who is also active in the public policy and advocacy arena. His academic and research career has been centered on brain behavior relationships, with particular emphasis on changes in the brain and behavior in aging, in neurodegenerative diseases, and in the brain’s response to injury. His research is basic, translational, and clinical. Collaborations with other university departments as well as national and international projects have significantly expanded during his leadership. He has been a national leader and advocate for patients and caregivers with dementia and a public spokesperson, nationally and internationally, in support of patient care and funding for research. He serves on the National Board of Directors for the Alzheimer's Association and chaired their Medical and Scientific Advisory Committee for 5 years. He was chairman of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Panel of Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), the international organization of national Alzheimer’s Associations, from 2003-2005.

There are three vice chairs in the Department of Neurology:

• Lawrence Wechsler, MD, is Professor of Neurology and Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs. He maintains fiscal oversight for all clinical operations such as physician recruiting, patient access to care, and quality of care. This role includes expanding the Department’s presence in Pittsburgh and the surrounding regions. Dr. Wechsler is also Director of the UPMC Stroke Institute and Chief of the Vascular Neurology Division, overseeing a state-of-the-art cerebrovascular program and numerous clinical trials in stroke.
• Steven H. Graham, MD, PhD, is Vice Chair for Research. He directs the operations of the Research Division. Chief among his responsibilities is recruiting world-quality researchers to an expanding basic science program. Dr. Graham is an accomplished researcher in neuronal cell death following ischemic injury. He is Associate Chief of Staff for Research for the Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System and directs the Geriatric Research Educational and Clinical Center.
• Paula Clemens, MD, is Associate Professor of Neurology and Vice Chair for Veterans Affairs. She is Chief of the Neurology Service at the Pittsburgh VA Healthcare System, responsible for clinical care and teaching at the VA. She is also an accomplished researcher in clinical and basic studies of treatments for disorders of skeletal muscle.

Additional leadership is provided by the executive committee, consisting of the department chair; vice chairs; the eight division chiefs; and Patrick Conway, department administrator; and Leslie Dunn, academic administrator.