John Newman, MD, PhD

John Newman is an assistant professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and in the Division of Geriatrics at University of California San Francisco (UCSF). His career goal is to translate our expanding understanding of aging biology to improve care and help maintain the independence of older adults. His research at the Buck Institute studies the molecular details of how diet and fasting regulate the genes and pathways that in turn control aging, focusing on the ketone body betahydroxybutyrate and how its molecular signaling activities involving epigenetics and inflammation regulate aging and memory in mice.

Dr. Newman is also a geriatrician who cares for hospitalized older adults at UCSF and the San Francisco VA Medical Center, focusing on preserving mobility and preventing delirium. His undergraduate education was at Yale University, with a BS/MS in molecular biophysics and biochemistry that included studying growth factor signaling in the roundworm C. elegans. He completed an MD/Ph.D. at the University of Washington, where his graduate work studies focused on the progeroid Cockayne syndrome with Dr. Alan Weiner. While at UW, he developed new bioinformatics tools for the analysis of patterns in gene expression data. He then completed a residency in internal medicine and fellowship training in geriatric medicine at UCSF. He is a National Institute on Aging Beeson Scholar.

Dr. Newman is a native of Long Island, New York, and a lifelong Mets fan. He has lived in San Francisco since 2008. He enjoys playing volleyball, watching baseball, exploring the natural the beauty of the Bay Area, and having fun food experiences.