Peter Calabresi, M.D., professor of neurology, neuroscience, and ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; director of the Richard T. Johnson Division of Neuroimmunology and Neurological Infections; and co-director of the Johns Hopkins Precision Medicine Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, has been appointed chair of the Department of Neurological Sciences at the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont (UVM) and the UVM Health Network (UVMHN), following a national search. His appointment will be effective October 1, 2025. The announcement was made by Richard L. Page, M.D., dean of the Larner College of Medicine, and Ramsey Herrington, M.D., chief physician officer of the UVMHN, president and CEO of the UVMHN Medical Group, and senior associate dean for clinical affairs at the Larner College of Medicine.
As chair at Larner, Calabresi will be responsible for the clinical, research, and education missions of the Department of Neurological Sciences, which has a long tradition of outstanding clinical and basic science research in addition to providing excellence in education and training for students, residents, and fellows. At the University of Vermont Health Network, Calabresi’s responsibilities as chair of neurological sciences will include leading physicians, residents, fellows, and staff at the network’s locations across Vermont and northern New York. The Health Network is widely recognized for providing exemplary primary and comprehensive neurological care in the region, with a commitment to comprehensive patient care, high-quality medical education, and clinically oriented research.
“I am delighted that Dr. Calabresi will join us as the next chair of the Department of Neurological Sciences,” stated Dean Page. “Bringing a wealth of experience in cutting-edge research, education, leadership, and advances in patient care from the Johns Hopkins Department of Neurology—one of the largest clinical departments in the world and consistently recognized as one of the top programs in the country—he will have an immediate impact on our department, college, and university.”
Calabresi received his undergraduate degree in biology from Yale University and his medical degree from Brown University Medical School. He completed two residencies at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York, where he served as chief resident, and a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health. Calabresi taught at both Brown University Medical School and the University of Maryland School of Medicine before joining the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where he has held numerous appointments since 2003.
Calabresi’s area of expertise is multiple sclerosis. He has received numerous honors for his work, including induction into the American Association of Physicians, the Snyder-Granader Family Professorship in Multiple Sclerosis, a Giants in Multiple Sclerosis Research Award from the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers, the Raymond D. Adams Lectureship from the American Neurological Association, the Barancik Award for Innovation in Multiple Sclerosis Research, and the Stephen C. Reingold Research Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
A highly regarded academic physician who has presented his work to both national and international audiences, Calabresi has served as Principal Investigator on numerous grants, securing millions of dollars in research funding from private and public institutions, and his research has been widely published in hundreds of academic publications. He has served as associate editor of the Journal of Clinical Investigation and ad hoc reviewer for National Institutes of Health panels, and as a journal reviewer for such scientific journals as the Journal of Clinical Investigation, Lancet, Nature, Science, Cell, and the New England Journal of Medicine.
He lends his expertise in several national premier medical professional organizations, including the Scientific Advisory Committee of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Scientific Advisory Board of the North American Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis Cooperative. He is co-founder and past president of the International Multiple Sclerosis Visual System Consortium and a Fellow in the American Academy of Neurology and in the American Association of Physicians.
“Dr. Calabresi brings tremendous academic and clinical experience and proven leadership to our neurological sciences teams across Vermont and northern New York,” said Herrington. “His vision aligns with our top priorities—enhancing patient access, advancing value-based care, and promoting health equity—while his capabilities will be instrumental in elevating the daily practice experience for our physicians and advanced practice professionals.”
Calabresi will succeed Gregory Holmes, M.D., professor emeritus of neurological sciences, who served as the department chair for 11 years before retiring in 2024, and Andrew Solomon, M.D., professor of neurological sciences, who has served as interim chair since January 2025.