Weili Xu is an epidemiologist and a postdoctoral researcher at ARC, Karolinska Institutet. She graduated in public health, obtained a Master's Degree in epidemiology and statistics, and completed her doctoral study in geriatric epidemiology. Her main research areas include epidemiological studies of diabetes and metabolic disorders in relation to the development of cognitive impairment and dementia in the elderly. She is also interested in the role of genetic factors in the association of diabetes with cognitive dysfunction. She received the prize for “The best dissertation in diabetes research” from the Swedish diabetes association in 2008.

Xu WL, von Strauss E, Qiu CX, B Winblad, L Fratiglioni. Uncontrolled diabetes increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease: a population-based cohort study. Diabetologia 2009;52:1031-1039.

Xu WL, Qiu CX, Gatz M, Pedersen NL, Fratiglioni L. Mid- and late-life diabetes in relation to the risk of dementia: a population-based twin study. Diabetes 2009;58:71-78.

Xu WL, Qiu CX, Winblad B, Fratiglioni L. The effect of borderline diabetes on the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Diabetes 2007; 56:211-216.

Xu WL, Qiu CX, Wahlin Å, Winblad B, Fratiglioni L. Diabetes mellitus and risk of dementia in the Kungsholmen Project: a 6-year follow-up study. Neurology 2004;63:1181-1186.