As chief science officer and medical affairs lead, Maria C. Carrillo, Ph.D., sets the strategic vision for the Alzheimer’s Association global research program. Under her leadership, the Association is the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s research — currently investing more than $450 million — and an internationally recognized pioneer in convening the dementia science community. Dr. Carrillo uses her platform as a noted public speaker to play an instrumental role in the Association’s efforts to lobby for increased funding for the disease.

Dr. Carrillo oversees the implementation of the Association’s growing portfolio of research initiatives, including the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference® (AAIC®), the world’s largest and most influential dementia science meeting. She is a co-principal investigator for the Alzheimer's Network for Treatment and Diagnostics (ALZ-NET), which is designed to track the long-term clinical response and safety outcomes of enrolled patients being treated with novel FDA-approved Alzheimer’s therapies. In addition, she leads the Association’s direct involvement in research by serving as a co-primary investigator for the Association-funded and led U.S. POINTER study, a lifestyle intervention trial to prevent cognitive decline and dementia.

Dr. Carrillo earned her Ph.D. from Northwestern University’s Institute for Neuroscience and completed a postdoctoral fellowship focused on Alzheimer’s brain imaging and risk factors at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.