Dr. Joel Ross has built a nearly 40-year40-year career as a physician, clinical researcher, teacher, lecturer, and author, with a longstanding focus on improving care for older adults. His professional path includes being named Teacher of the Year, becoming the first geriatrician in New Jersey, and establishing the state's first geriatric fellowship program. He has also contributed to clinical research efforts that helped bring FDA-approved oral and transdermal medications for Alzheimer’s disease to market. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of J and D Pharmaceuticals LLC, headquartered in Monmouth, New Jersey.
His clinical expertise lies in geriatric medicine, including the diagnosis and treatment of conditions associated with aging. These areas include cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, along with a broad range of medical conditions affecting older adults. His work emphasizes thoughtful evaluation, evidence-based treatment, and continuity of care across the aging process.
On a personal level, Dr. Ross has maintained a stable and fulfilling life alongside his professional responsibilities. He has been happily married for nearly 47 years and remains highly active in competitive sports. He is ranked number one in the country at the highest level of expertise in men’s doubles pickleball for ages 70 to 74 and ranks in the top 5 nationally in men’s singles pickleball. His accomplishments include many gold, silver, and bronze medals earned in singles and doubles competition.
Dr. Joel Ross attended Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology. His undergraduate studies provided a strong scientific foundation that supported his later medical training and research interests.
He earned his Medical Degree from Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn and completed his residency training at Nassau County Medical Center. During this period, he was appointed chief resident, reflecting early recognition of his clinical ability and leadership skills.
Dr. Ross completed his Fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. He trained under Dr. Robert N. Butler, the first Director of the National Institute on Aging. This experience shaped his long-term dedication to geriatric medicine and aging-related research.
Dr. Joel Ross was chosen to serve as the first Medical Director of the Anna Alexander Greenwall Geriatric Program at Monmouth Medical Center, an endowed position. In this role, he helped establish comprehensive geriatric services and advance coordinated care for older patients.
He also served as Director of the Geriatric Fellowship Program at Monmouth Medical Center. This program became the first geriatric fellowship in New Jersey and graduated many physicians who later opened practices throughout New Jersey and across the United States.
Dr. Ross was later named Teacher of the Year at Monmouth Medical Center and went on to serve for seven years as Director of the Geriatrics Section in the Department of Internal Medicine at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune. During this time, he continued mentoring physicians and overseeing geriatric clinical programs.
In 2000, Dr. Joel Ross opened the Memory Enhancement Center of America in New York and New Jersey. These clinical research facilities provided multidisciplinary care for patients with cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, through teams of physicians and allied health professionals.
At these centers, he and his colleagues conducted pivotal clinical research that helped bring all current FDA-approved oral and transdermal Alzheimer’s disease medications to market. He also presented research findings at local, regional, national, and international conferences related to Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Ross later co-founded RN NanoPharmaceuticals LLC in Monmouth Beach and served as its Chief Executive Officer. In 2023, he founded J and D Pharmaceuticals, continuing his commitment to advancing pharmaceutical research and development.
Earlier in his career, he served as a trustee on the board of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals. He also authored a nationally recognized booklet that serves as a practical guide for principal investigators conducting high-quality clinical research.
Dr. Joel Ross leads research efforts at J and D Pharmaceuticals focused on severe neurological and systemic conditions. The company completed an animal study examining traumatic brain injury using its proprietary compound JD 005.
In collaboration with researchers at the University of Oklahoma, he and his team tested JD 005 in rats following head trauma. The study demonstrated reduced acetylated tau levels and significant improvement in neurological outcomes, supporting further research.
Dr. Ross and colleagues at the University of Florida in Gainesville are currently conducting a clinical trial to determine acetylated tau levels in patients with traumatic brain injury. Their proprietary compound JD 005, in both intravenous and oral preparations, is expected to be administered in an upcoming clinical trial involving TBI patients.
J and D Pharmaceuticals has received three Orphan Drug Designations from the United States Food and Drug Administration for JD 004 and JD 005. These designations include Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, a condition for which only one FDA-approved treatment currently exists and is associated with significant toxicity.
Additional Orphan Drug Designations were granted for Progeria and related laminopathies based on evidence suggesting potential to slow disease progression. Final animal studies are underway, with human trials expected to follow. The FDA has also granted designation for hepatocellular carcinoma, with clinical studies expected to begin soon.
Dr. Joel Ross has lectured to hundreds of residents in retirement communities throughout New York and New Jersey. These educational sessions focus on helping individuals understand the signs of severe memory loss and the available testing and treatment options.
He has authored and contributed to a substantial body of peer-reviewed research related to Alzheimer’s disease, neurodegeneration, and emerging therapeutic approaches. His work has been presented at major scientific organizations, including the Alzheimer’s Association.
Dr. Ross also holds several patents related to his research and pharmaceutical development efforts, reflecting an ongoing commitment to evidence-based medical innovation.
Dr. Joel Ross volunteers at Parker Health Center in Red Bank, where older patients, many of whom are undocumented immigrants, receive medical care. Services include treatment for hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, and other chronic conditions, along with free testing and medications.
Throughout nearly 40 years of medical practice, he has provided free medical services to thousands of individuals living in very low-income communities. He is known for making more house calls than any other physician in New Jersey and for consistently showing respect for patients and families.
Dr. Ross also gives public lectures and seminars on cardiopulmonary resuscitation. During a recent pickleball tournament, he responded immediately when a 48-year-old player collapsed on the court. Through coordinated CPR and defibrillator use, the individual survived, returned to playing pickleball, and experienced no neurological damage.