Blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease changing current, future state of dementia care
July 14, 2026
Vice Chair for Clinical Operations
Brendan Kelley, M.D., is a Professor and Clinical Vice-Chair in the Department of Neurology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. He specializes in the evaluation and study of neurological causes of impairment in memory and cognition.
Dr. Kelley earned his medical degree at The Ohio State University. He completed a residency in neurology at the Cleveland Clinic and received advanced training in behavioral neurology and multiple sclerosis through fellowships at the Mayo Clinic.
He also holds an executive M.B.A. from The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business and a master’s degree in physics from Cornell University.
Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, he joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2017.
Dr. Kelley’s research focuses on the clinical translation of novel techniques to better identify changes in the brain and spinal fluid related to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. He collaborates with investigators in UT Southwestern research labs who conduct basic science research to better understand the biological processes that cause neurodegeneration and to improve our ability to detect these changes before irreversible cognitive impairments have occurred.
He also participates in clinical research trials conducted throughout the United States that are aimed at testing new compounds as potential treatments for dementia. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific articles and book chapters related to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.
Dr. Kelley directs the UT Southwestern Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry Fellowship Program. He’s a member of the American Neurological Association and the Behavioral Neurology Section of the American Academy of Neurology.