2025 Fall Benefit

John F. Disterhoft, PhD, is the Magerstadt Memorial Research Professor Emeritus of Neuroscience at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. Throughout his career, John focused his research on exploring brain mechanisms of aging, Alzheimer’s Disease, and learning in animal models and humans. John has taught and mentored many medical and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows who have continued his legacy of service and discovery through their work as practitioners and researchers.

John received his PhD from Fordham University and completed postdoctoral training at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He has received numerous research awards and recognitions throughout his career, including the MERIT Award from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) for two consecutive ten-year award cycles. These awards have supported past and current research in the John Disterhoft Lab at the Feinberg School of Medicine where lab members investigate aging and learning in the brain. John also performed extensive editorial service on professional journals and on review panels for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other biomedical research funding organizations. John’s leadership in research has brought valuable insight to his field and to our understanding of how aging and Alzheimer’s disease affect learning. These research findings pave the way for improved care and outcomes for older adults, especially those with memory loss.

John has served on various boards, including the SASI Board of Directors. Today he is the Vice Chair of CMSS’ Board of Directors.