Dr. John Papaconstantinou was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and received a BA and MA in Biology at Temple University, and a PhD in Biochemistry at John Hopkins University. After several other faculty positions, Dr. Papaconstantinou joined the University of Texas Medical Branch, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, where today he is a tenured professor and the Bertha and Robert Bucksch Distinguished Research Professor of Molecular Gerontology. A beloved teacher, he has received multiple teaching awards, including the Palmer Sanders Professorship for Excellence in Teaching at UTMB. Dr. Papaconstantinou's research has always been concerned with aging, and most recently, he has focused on the specific role of p38aMAPK kinase inflammation in the development of the aging phenotype. His research has been funded by several national entities, including the National Institute on Aging, and he has served on many national advisory councils related to aging. In addition, he has published over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles focused on understanding the molecular processes of aging. Dr. Papaconstantinou lives in Galveston, Texas. In his free time, he enjoys tennis, swimming, reading, and frequent visits to art museums.