Biography:

I am a board certified neuropathologist, an Assistant Professor in the departments of Pathology and Neurology, and director of Autopsy and Autopsy Neuropathology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York.  I trained in Anatomic Pathology and Neuropathology at Columbia University Medical Center and in the neuropathologic evaluation and diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases at the New York Brain Bank associated with the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Taub Institute, Columbia University.  The investigation of the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease is my major research focus.  My research interests also include adult neurogenesis and retinoid function in the central nervous system. 

Research Interests: Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, adult neurogenesis, memory, retinoids.

Education and Training:

• 1987-1991: B.A., Biological Basis of Behavior; University of Pennsylvania     
• 1991-1992: M.S., Human Nutrition; Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
• 1992-2001: M.D. Ph.D., Pharmacology; SUNY-Downstate
• 2001-2003: Anatomic Pathology Residency; New York Presbyterian Hospital - Columbia University Medical Center                                              
• 2003-2005 : Neuropathology Fellowship, New York Presbyterian Hospital - Columbia University Medical Center 
• 2005-2006: Laboratories of William S. Blaner and Ottavio Arancio, Project: Retinoids in the Central Nervous System, Department of Medicine (Blaner) and Department of Pathology (Arancio), Columbia University Medical Center

Selected Publications:

• Libien J and Chen WP, Vitamin A in Human Disease, in Vitamins for Prevention of Human Diseases. Wolfgang, Herrmann, Rima Obeid (Eds.), Berlin, New York (DE GRUYTER) 2011.
• Blaner WS, O’Byrne SM, Wongsiriroj N, Kluwe J, D’Ambrosio D, Jiang H, Schwabe RF,Piantedosi R and Libien J, Hepatic Stellate Cell Lipid Droplets: A Specialized Lipid Droplet for Retinoid Storage, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 2009: 1791(6): 467-473.
• Libien J and Blaner WS, Retinol and Retinol-Binding Protein in Cerebrospinal Fluid: Can vitamin A take the “Idiopathic” out of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension? J Neuro
  Ophthalmol, 2007: 27(4): 253-257.
• Nirenberg M, Libien J, Vonsattel JP, Fahn S, Multiple System Atrophy in a Patient with the Spinocerebellar Ataxia 3 Gene Mutation. Movement Disorders, 22(2): 251-254, 2007. 
• Libien J, Sacktor TC, Kass IS.  Magnesium blocks the loss of protein kinase C, leads to a transient translocation of PKCa and PKCe, and improves recovery after anoxia in rat hippocampal slices. Brain Res Mol Brain Res.136(1-2):104-111, 2005.
• O'byrne SM, Wongsiriroj N, Libien J, Vogel S, Goldberg IJ, Baehr W, Palczewski K, Blaner WS. Retinoid absorption and storage is impaired in mice lacking lecithin: Retinol acyltransferase (LRAT).  J Biol Chem. 280(42): 35647-35657, 2005.
• Tamargo RJ, Connolly ES Jr, McKhann GM, Khandji A, Chang Y, Libien J, Adams D. Clinicopathological  Review: primary angiitis of the central nervous system in association with cerebral amyloid angiopathy.  Neurosurgery. 2003; 53: 136-143. 

Cases Presented:

• 4/20/2010 Case 1: PXA with anaplastic features
• 4/21/2009 Case 3: Dementia with NF inclusion/neuronal intermediate filament inclusion disease