Donor Spotlight

Philip Sisser B.S.

Prior to joining PAREF, Philip served as a research assistant in the Trace Minerals and Nutrition Lab at Cornell University. His research was primarily centered on how micronutrients found in plants can impact the human digestive system, including mineral absorption as well as the microbiome, which refers to the thousands of bacterial types that live in the human body. After developing the research basis for the study of a small compound found in soybeans, he presented the study’s findings at Cornell University’s research symposium, and subsequently, this work has been published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Nutrients.

Philip’s interest in medicine, and specifically medical research, began while working at Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca, New York. He has also previously served as an intern in the ophthalmology, gastroenterology, and perioperative care units during a program at the Northshore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York.

Philip has a degree in environmental science from Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Science, where he served for two years as an assistant in the chemistry department. Philip also studied at Sorbonne University in Paris and is fluent in French.

Dr. Christine Greer, MD, MS

Christine Greer, MD MS  is a board-certified ophthalmologist who specializes in comprehensive ophthalmology and cataract surgery. Dr. Greer devotes herself to providing patients with the most advanced medical and surgical care in ophthalmology. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated excellence in research, teaching, and foremost, patient care.

After obtaining a Master of Science degree from the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, Dr. Greer completed medical school at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. There, she was recognized as *The Unsung Hero* for her “quiet, consistent, and unselfish use of unique skills, time, and effort to further the mission of the medical school”. She completed ophthalmology residency training at the prestigious University of Southern California Roski Eye Institute, a U.S. News and World Report top 10 institution, where she served as chief resident. She was honored by her peers for outstanding team leadership and teaching in resident training. She completed additional fellowship training at Weill Cornell Medical College, New York-Presbyterian Hospital. 

Dr. Kellyann Niotis, MD

Kellyann Niotis, MD is the first fellowship-trained preventive neurologist whose mission is to reach and educate as many people as possible who are at-risk for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body Dementia, and Parkinson’s disease. Neurology is known as the medical specialty full of devastating diseases without cures. When she chose to specialize in neurology, she heard this told over and over again. Her goal is to change this conception and bring the field of preventive neurology to the forefront of neurological care.

Dr. Niotis completed her medical internship and neurology residency at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, serving as Chief Resident during her final year and the inaugural McGraw Fellow in Neurology Research. She has also completed a fellowship in movement disorders at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai under the mentorship of Drs. Susan Bressman and Rachel Saunders-Pullman, as well as advanced training in preventive neurology under the mentorship of Dr. Richard Isaacson.

She currently leads the preventive neurology program within Early Medical, a practice focused on the applied science of longevity. Previously, she managed the country’s first Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medical College/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and established Parkinson’s and Lewy Body Prevention Programs.

Her research interest is in personalized risk reduction interventions in patients at risk for neurodegenerative diseases. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Neurology, Frontiers of Aging Neuroscience, Movement Disorders, Alzheimer’s & Dementia, and Journal of the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease, and has been presented at national and international conferences. She has received numerous honors and awards, and her opinions have been featured in several popular media outlets including CNN and Healthline.

Dr. Richard S. Isaacson, MD

Dr. Isaacson served as director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic (APC), Weill Cornell Memory Disorders Program, assistant dean of faculty development, and associate professor of neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine & New York-Presbyterian. With his robust clinical practice and broad background in computer science, m-Health, biotechnology, and web development, he led interwoven clinical research and technology teams at the APC. Isaacson’s team rigorously evaluated the effects of personalized, evidence-based multi-modal interventions on cognition, serum/radiologic biomarkers of AD, and calculated AD and cardiovascular risk.

Isaacson has published novel methods for using a precision medicine approach in real-world clinical practice of risk reduction for AD. He served as principal investigator (PI) for the APC Comparative Effectiveness Dementia & Alzheimer’s study and has served as PI and/or co-PI on several past AD research grants related to AD prevention, treatment, and education.

“Alzheimer’s disease has impacted me on a personal level including my uncle Bob who was diagnosed while I was in high school as well as my cousin who was diagnosed about 15 years ago,” said Isaacson. “I am passionate about applying a comprehensive approach toward both the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and more recently Parkinson’s and Lewy Body dementia.”

Before his tenure at Weill Cornell Medicine, Isaacson previously served as associate professor of clinical neurology, vice chair of education, and education director of the McKnight Brain Institute in the Department of Neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

He completed his residency in neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, and his medical internship at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach. Before he joined the University of Miami, he served as associate medical director of the Wien Center for Alzheimer’s disease and Memory Disorders at Mount Sinai.

Isaacson led the development of Alzheimer’s Universe (AlzU.org) a vast online education research portal on AD (more than 2 million unique visitors) with results published in the Journal of the Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease; Journal of Communication in Healthcare, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions; and Neurology.

Dr. Stuart H. Isaacson, MD

The development of new treatments for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, including essential tremor, dystonia, restless legs syndrome, Huntington’s disease, and atypical forms of parkinsonism, has long been the research focus of Dr. Isaacson. He has been involved in over 75 clinical trials and has served on national and international committees for many drug development programs and trials, as well as for the Parkinson Study Group and the movement disorders section of the American Academy of Neurology. Dr. Isaacson has authored or co-authored nearly 100 abstracts, journal articles, and book chapters. He lectures frequently and has presented abstracts at national and international scientific meetings and patient symposiums, and has trained numerous physicians in the injection of botulinum toxins. Dr. Isaacson has worked closely with national foundations, including the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. He is a member of the American Academy of Neurology and the Movement Disorders Society, among others, and has been recognized as Best Doctors in America, America’s Top Physicians, and Florida SuperDoctors.