Serggio Lanata, MD, MS, is a neurologist and clinical researcher dedicated to advancing brain health and improving care for individuals with cognitive impairment and dementia. He serves as the director of the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center Community Outreach Program, which works to educate medically, economically, and educationally disadvantaged populations about brain health and dementia and encourages participation in clinical research. Through this role, he is committed to addressing health disparities and building pathways to equitable access to resources and care.
Dr. Lanata’s research focuses on understanding how social determinants of health—such as income level, geographic location, and personal adversity—affect cognition and contribute to brain health inequities. By studying these factors, he aims to identify risk factors for cognitive decline and develop interventions to reduce the impact of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in at-risk populations.
Dr. Lanata began his academic journey in Lima, Peru, where he studied biological sciences at Universidad Ricardo Palma. He later earned his bachelor’s degree in food science and human nutrition from the University of Florida. He continued his education at Georgetown University, earning a master’s degree in physiology and complementary and alternative medicine. He then completed his medical degree at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, followed by a neurology residency at Brown University and a behavioral neurology fellowship at UCSF.
Currently, Dr. Lanata holds the Roland Nyegaard, MD, Endowed Professorship in Vulnerable Populations at UCSF. He is also a faculty member of the Global Brain Health Institute, where he collaborates on international efforts to reduce the impact of dementia worldwide. In his free time, Dr. Lanata enjoys surfing and spending time outdoors with his wife and three daughters.