Alan I. Faden, MD

1966: University of Pennsylvania, Physics, BA, 1966

1967: Indiana University, History & Philosophy of Science, Graduate Studies

1971: University of Chicago School of Medicine, MD

1975: Resident, University of California-San Francisco, Neurology, 1974 (Chief Resident, 1975)

Dr. Faden is a neurologist who is an internationally recognized leader in neurotrauma. He served as the initial director of the Center for Shock, Trauma and Anesthesiology Research (STAR), Co-Director for the bi-campus Center for Brain, Health and Human Performance, and Associate Dean for Trans-Campus Research Advancement.

From 1991-2009, he was Professor of Neuroscience, Neurology, and Pharmacology at Georgetown University, where he served as Dean for Research, Scientific Director of the Medical Center, and inaugural Director of Georgetown Institute for Cognitive and Computational Sciences (GICCS). From 1984-1991 he was Professor and Vice Chair of Neurology at UCSF, Chief of Neurology at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, and Director of the Center for Neural Injury. Dr. Faden has published 415 refereed research papers, 50 book chapters and proceedings, and 10 books/monographs.  His brain injury and spinal cord injury research programs have each received continuous NIH support for more than 30 years. He was founding Editor-in-Chief of Neurotherapeutics and founding Associate Editor of the Journal of Neurotrauma.  Dr. Faden served as President of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics, first President the National Neurotrauma Society, and President of the San Francisco Neurological Society. He has received the Exceptional Service Medal from the Uniformed Services University and the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Chicago.

His interdisciplinary research focuses on modeling, behavior, neuropathology, immunology, cell biology and molecular biology, including single cell transcriptomics and epigenetics. It focuses on the pathobiology and treatment of traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, mechanisms of cell death and dementia, neuroinflammation, neuroimmunology, and bidirectional brain systemic interactions. 

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Neuroinflammation, Central Nervous System Injury, Neuroprotection, Cell Death and Recovery, Spinal Cord Injury, Neuroimmunology, Transcriptions, Epigenetics.

Faden AI, Holaday JW. Opiate antagonists: a role in the treatment of hypovolemic shock. Science. 1979;205(4403):317-8. PMID: 451606.

Faden AI, Jacobs TP, Holaday JW. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone improves neurologic recovery after spinal trauma in cats. N Engl J Med. 1981;305(18):1063-7. PMID: 6792542.

Faden AI, Jacobs TP, Holaday JW. Opiate antagonist improves neurologic recovery after spinal injury. Science. 1981;211(4481):493-4. PMID: 7455690

Faden AI, Demediuk P, Panter SS, Vink R. The role of excitatory amino acids and NMDA receptors in traumatic brain injury. Science. 1989:244(4906):798-800. PMID: 2567056.

Yakovlev AG, Knoblach SM, Fan L, Fox GB, Goodnight R, Faden AI. Activation of CPP32-like caspases contributes to neuronal apoptosis and neurological dysfunction after traumatic brain injury. J Neurosci. 1997;17(19):7415-24. PMID: 9295387.

Di Giovanni S, Movsesyan V, Ahmed F, Cernak I, Schinelli S, Stoica B, Faden AI. Cell cycle inhibition provides neuroprotection and reduces glial proliferation and scar formation after traumatic brain injury. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2005;102(23):8333-8. PMID: 15923260.

Di Giovanni S, Knights CD, Rao M, Yakovlev A, Beers J, Catania J, Avantaggiati ML, Faden AI. The tumor suppressor protein p53 is required for neurite outgrowth and axon regeneration. EMBO J. 2006;25(17):4084-96. PMID: 16946709.

Loane DJ, Pocivavsek A, Moussa CE, Thompson R, Matsuoka Y, Faden AI, Rebeck GW, Burns MP. Amyloid precursor protein secretases as therapeutic targets for traumatic brain injury. Nat Med. 2008;15(4):377-9. PMID: 19287391.

Piao CS, Stoica BA, Wu J, Sabirzhanov B, Zhao Z, Cabatbat R, Loane DJ, Faden AI. Late exercise reduces neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction after traumatic brain injury. Neurobiol Dis. 2012;54,252-63. PMID: 23313314.

Wu J, Zhao Z, Sabirzhanov B, Stoica BA, Kumar A, Luo T, Skovira J, Faden AI. Spinal cord injury causes brain inflammation associated with cognitive and affective changes: role of cell cycle pathways. J Neurosci. 2014;34(33):10989-1006. PMID: 25122899.

Ma EL, Smith AD, Desai N, Cheung L, Hanscom M, Stoica BA, Loane DJ, Shea-Donohue T, Faden AI. Bidirectional brain-gut interactions and chronic pathological changes after traumatic brain injury in mice. Brain Behav Immun. 2017;66:56-69. PMID: 28676351

Henry RJ, Ritzel RM, Barrett JP, Doran SJ, Jiao Y, Leach JB, Szeto GL, Wu J, Stoica BA, Faden AI, Loane DJ. Microglial depletion with CSF1R inhibitor during chronic phase of experimental traumatic brain injury reduces neurodegeneration and neurological deficits. J Neurosci. 2020;40(14):2960-2974. PMID: 32094203.

Khan NZ, Cao T, He J, Ritzel RM, Li Y, Henry RJ, Colson C, Stoica BA, Faden AI, Wu J. Spinal cord injury alters microRNA and CD81+ exosome levels in plasma extracellular nanoparticles with neuroinflammatory potential. Brain Behav Immun. 2021;92, 165-183. PMID: 33307173.

Hanscom M, Loane DJ, Aubretch T, Leser J, Molesworth K, Hedgekar N, Ritzel RM, Abulwerdi G, Shea-Donohue T, Faden AI. Acute colitis during chronic experimental traumatic brain injury in mice induces dysautonomia and persistent extraintestinal, systemic, and CNS inflammation with exacerbated neurological deficits. J Neuroinflammation. 2021;18(1):24. PMID: 33461596.

Li Y, Khan N, Ritzel RM, Lei Z, Allen S, Faden AI, Wu J. Sexually dimorphic extracellular vesicle responses after chronic spinal cord injury are associated with neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in the aged brain. J Neuroinflammation. 2023;20(1):197. PMID: 37653491.

Ritzel RM, Li Y, Jiao Y, Doran SJ, Khan N, Henry RJ, Brunner K, Loane DJ, Faden AI, Szeto GL, Wu J. Bi-directional neuro-immune dysfunction after chronic experimental brain injury. J Neuroinflammation. 2024; 21(1),83. PMID: 38581043.

Henry RJ, Barrett JP, Vaida M, Khan NZ, Makarevich O, Ritzel RM, Faden AI, Stoica BA. Interaction of high-fat diet and brain trauma alters adipose tissue macrophages and brain microglia associated with exacerbated cognitive dysfunction. J Neuroinflammation. 2024; 21(1),113. PMID: 38685031.

Lei Z, Ritzel RM, Li Y, Li H, Faden AI, Wu J. Old age alters inflammation and autophagy signaling in the brain, leading to exacerbated neurological outcomes after spinal cord injury in male mice. Brain Behav Immun. 2024 Jun 24;120:439-451. PMID: 38925420.

Lei Z, Krishnamachary B, Khan NZ, Ji Y, Li Y, Li H, Brunner K, Faden AI, Jones JW, Wu J. Spinal cord injury disrupts plasma extracellular vesicles cargoes leading to neuroinflammation in the brain and neurological dysfunction in aged male mice. Brain Behav Immun. 2024 Jul. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38986724.

Barrett JP, Aubrecht TG, Smith AC, Vaida M, Henry RJ, Doran SJ, Faden AI, Stoica BA. Molecular pathway changes associated with different post-conditioning exercise interventions after experimental TBI. Journal of Neurotrauma. PMCID: In Press.