Dr. Pappolla has been among the very first investigators to identify evidence of oxidative stress in Alzheimer’s disease brain. This has led to neuroprotective strategies worldwide currently under development. Along with Dr. Larry Refolo, Dr Suzana Petanceska at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and others, he conducted groundbreaking research on cholesterolemia as an early risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. As a neuropathologist, he described several unique neuropathologic lesions including the colloid body of Parkinson’s disease (later renamed “pale body”) and the ubiquitinilated “dot like inclusions” in the aged brain. One other area of research is the development of neuroprotective drugs. He produced several patents; one of these drugs is currently on phase 2 clinical trial for Friedriech’s ataxia (OX1, a melatonin analog) and melatonin related analogs for Alzheimers disease.