Noble Lifecourse Program
Location and Contact Information
Principal Investigator
The Noble Lifecourse Program is an epidemiologically focused research initiative with projects framed by 3 main goals: a) identifying and creating novel and innovative approaches to complex neurological problems, b) providing expertise in clinical fields and the communities they impact and c) identifying and mitigating significant health disparities. Projects are recognized for addressing difficult problems using outside-the-box, yet data-driven scientifically-grounded, approaches.
Research Overview
Dr. Noble’s primary and active areas of research interest in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) include potentially modifiable lifecourse risk factors, including the roles of infection and inflammation (PI: R01 AG076015) as well exposures to traumatic brain injury. Dr. Noble has developed a group of multigenerational community-based education programs aiming to increase access to neurological care along with novel community outreach wellness interventions. He is the clinical core leader of the Columbia ADRC (P30 AG066462) and The Diabetes Prevention Project Outcome Study (U19 AG078558).
Through this and other studies he has worked with and/or has access to various databases including the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center and New York SPARCS, among others.
Locally-based projects available for study include the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project Ancillary Study of Oral Health and the Columbia University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center clinical cohort.
Dr. Noble has extensive experience in community outreach. In 2010 he co-founded the non-profit organization Arts & Minds, and serves as its volunteer president. Arts & Minds provides arts-centered, museum-based experiences to persons with dementia and their care partners.
Additionally, Dr. Noble is the author of the dementia caregiver handbook Navigating Life with Dementia (2022, American Academy of Neurology/Oxford University Press) and co-editor of the standard neurology text Merritt’s Neurology (2021, 14th edition, Wolters-Kluwer) as well as Merritt’s Neurology Review (2025, Wolters-Kluwer).
Dr. Noble often works with trainees at various levels including medical students, residents, fellows, and junior faculty.
Current mentored projects include:
- 2025-2026: An estimate of the frequency soccer heading in league competitions by video analysis. Project Lead: Dr. Molly Charney (CUIMC Neurology resident)
- 2023-2025: Determining the cost of concussion monitoring and identifying concussion care deserts. Project Lead: Sarah Frances MPH (Mailman School of Public Health student)
Recently mentored projects:
- 2023-25: Adolescents Caring for Community by Promoting Literacy on Insurance, Stroke, Health Education, Emergencies, and Dementia (ACComPLISHED) Community Health Worker (CHW) Program: Project Lead: Paul Lewis (VP&S 4th year student)
- 2023-24: Perspectives on medical retirement from sport after concussion: a survey of Big Ten and Ivy League physicians and athletic trainers. Project Lead: William Savage (VP&S 3rd year student)
In the News:
TV/webcast:
ABC News 7 New York | WABC-TV7
December 14, 2025
Up Close: Understanding Alzheimer's disease after NJ Sen. Andy Kim opens up about father's diagnosis
By Bill Ritter
[read more]
[listen to the podcast]
Podcasts:
- 2026
Dr. James Noble – Neurologist, Author of Navigating Life with Dementia, was featured on New York radio’s Coping Conversations podcast series hosted by Dr. Bob Philips [listen to the podcast] - 2025
Dr. James Noble speaks about the link between oral health and brain health with Dr. Allison Sekuler and Jay Ingram in the Healthy Mouth, Healthy Brain episode of the Defy Dementia podcast series. [listen to the podcast]
Print & Online Media:
- Alzforum
Alzforum is a news and information resource that supports researchers working to advance the development of diagnostics and treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. [read articles featuring Dr. Noble’s work] - American Academy of Neurology (AAN)
American Academy of Neurology's Neurology Today covers breaking news, key issues, and emerging trends in the practice and science of neurology. [read articles featuring Dr. Noble] - Columbia Magazine - Health & Medicine
- 2025
Would You Want to Know if Alzheimer’s Were in Your Future?
By David J. Craig
[read the article] - 2024
Heading a Soccer Ball Does Cause Brain Damage, Experts Say
[read the article] - 2018
New Smart Helmet Could Spot Concussions in Real Time
By David J. Craig
[read the article] - 2015
Picturing Alzheimer's
By Phoebe Magee
[read the article]
- 2025
- The New York Times
June 25, 2025
A Loved One Was Diagnosed With Dementia. Now What?
By Mohana Ravindranath
[read more]
Lab Members
Select Publications
James M Noble, Panos N Papapanou. With Teeth, Broken, or Fixed: The Challenges of Linking Periodontitis, Neuroepidemiology, and Biomarkers of Disease. J Alzheimers Dis. 2023;93(3):991-994. doi:10.3233/JAD-230346. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37248907/
Olajide Williams, James M Noble. 'Hip-hop' stroke: a stroke educational program for elementary school children living in a high-risk community. Stroke. 2008 Oct;39(10):2809-16. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.107.513143. Epub 2008 Jul 17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18635851/
James M Noble, Nicole Schupf, Jennifer J Manly, Howard Andrews, Ming-Xin Tang, Richard Mayeux. Secular Trends in the Incidence of Dementia in a Multi-Ethnic Community. J Alzheimers Dis. 2017 Oct 3;60(3):1065-1075. doi: 10.3233/JAD-170300. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28984588/
David R Baker, Erin R Kulick, Amelia K Boehme, James M Noble. Effects of the New York State Concussion Management and Awareness Act ("Lystedt Law") on Concussion-Related Emergency Health Care Utilization Among Adolescents, 2005-2015. Am J Sports Med 2018 Feb;46(2):396-401. doi: 10.1177/0363546517738742. Epub 2017 Nov 14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29135276/
James M Noble. Trying Times: Waiting to Learn What Is Happening Now in American Premature Mortality. Am J Public Health. 2020 Apr;110(4):429-431. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2020.305572. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32159980

