Whether it’s studying new medications to treat Alzheimer’s disease, helping develop vaccines that aim to prevent the debilitating disease, or educating the next generation of elder care professionals, few have done more to advance the medical care of older adults than Dr. John Stoukides.

As director of Geriatrics at Roger Williams Medical Center, Roger Williams Senior Health Care, and the Rhode Island Mood & Memory Research Institute, Stoukides, a 1985 URI graduate, has dedicated his professional life to improving not only the length, but also the quality of life as we age.

In his 20 years practicing geriatric medicine, Stoukides has taken part in clinical research trials that have brought all FDA-approved Alzheimer’s medications to market. He is working to develop vaccines to prevent Alzheimer’s and to slow its progression. He is also a professor at Boston University and Brown University, and is a founding faculty member of the Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center at URI.

Stoukides continues his groundbreaking research at the university, partnering with the Ryan Institute for Neuroscience to test new Alzheimer’s treatments using vascular activation. He has also served on the College of Nursing Advisory Council, participated in the creation of the Academic Health Collaborative, and continues to generously support the Colleges of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. In October, he was honored for his work as College of Pharmacy Dean Paul Larrat presented him with the College’s annual Distinguished Achievement Award.