The 2026 Robert E. Johnson Lecture

Dmitriy Aronov, PhD, is an assistant professor of neuroscience at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and a principal investigator at Columbia’s Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute. He is also an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and a New York Stem Cell Foundation-Robertson Neuroscience Investigator.

Dr. Aronov’s research explores the neural mechanisms of learning and episodic memory. Combining advanced neurophysiological recording techniques with behavioral tracking in animal models, his lab investigates how the brain encodes past experiences to guide complex decision-making and planning. By examining the neural circuits underlying spatial memory and cognition, his work provides fundamental insights into brain function and the mechanisms compromised in memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.