Dr. Leonard Berg
Knight ADRC Director, 1985-1997

This profile of Dr. Berg, written by Linda Sage, appeared in the Washington University Record newspaper in September 1995. It is reprinted here in its original form. Certain references are now inaccurate. Dr. John C. Morris is the current director. See the Knight ADRC Website for current information on the Center.

In 1972, when neurologist Leonard Berg, M.D., was a successful private practitioner, he wanted to improve the diagnosis of dementia. So he asked his department head, William Landau, M.D., if he could start a faculty discussion group. Landau was glad to oblige and offered to supply lunch. We'll bring brown bags, Berg insisted.

Berg, professor of neurology and director of the The Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, is now the recipient of $19.4 million in federal grants for dementia research. "This tremendous operation is the result of his initiative to establish a long-term scientific effort," said Landau, professor of neurology. "He began with the modest lunch-time meetings and now is one of the father figures in the field."

Berg chairs the medical and scientific advisory board of the national Alzheimer's Association and sits on the parent board. When the group organized a congressional hearing in 1992, he spoke about the burden of the disease and hopes for a treatment in the not-too-distant future. Several C-SPAN viewers called the association the next day, impressed that this erudite man, with his broad grasp of scientific issues, also was the type of person they would want for a family physician... <<Read More>>