John T. Hansen, PhD

Throughout his career, Dr. John T. Hansen has held many important roles in anatomy, neuroscience, education, and admissions. He is professor emeritus of neuroscience at URMC, where he has served in multiple roles for over the last 35 years including the Robert Wood Johnson Dean's Senior Teaching Scholar and the Kilian J. and Caroline F. Schmitt Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy. Hansen was URMC’s associate dean for admissions for 21 years.

Hansen received his bachelor of arts in biology from Beloit College, his master of science in biology from Creighton University, and his doctorate in anatomy from Tulane University. He completed research sabbaticals at the University of California San Francisco Cardiovascular Research Institute, the University of Iowa College of Medicine, and Harvard Medical School.

Hansen’s research investigated the role of dopamine neurons in the peripheral and central nervous system, and in Parkinson’s disease. He also collaborated on studies of neuroplasticity following brain injury. He is the recipient of a coveted National Institutes of Health Research Career Development Award.

Hansen has written over 120 peer-reviewed publications and served for 10 years as co-editor of the journal, Clinical Anatomy. Hansen has been the lead editor of the last five editions of the Atlas of Human Anatomy, and the author of multiple books including Netter’s Clinical Anatomy and Essential Anatomy Dissector. He is co-author of TMN Staging Atlas, which won the 2008 “Book of the Year” award from the British Medical Association.

Among many awards, Hansen is the recipient of the Alpha Omega Alpha Robert J. Glasser Distinguished Teacher Award from the American Association of Medical Schools and the Honored Member Award from the American Association of Clinical Anatomists. In 2010, he was the first recipient of the University of Rochester campus-wide Presidential Diversity Award for his “advocacy, support, mentoring, planning, and leading URMC’s initiatives to increase the recruitment, retention, excellence, and graduation of candidates from diverse backgrounds.”