Matthew Rizzo, MD, FAAN, FANA
Frances & Edgar Reynolds Chair, UNMC Department of Neurological Sciences
Professor, UNMC Department of Neurological Sciences
Principal Investigator, Director, Great Plains IDeA-CTR
Director of Neuroscience Services, Nebraska Medicine
402-559-8600
402-559-9510
Dr. Matthew Rizzo is the Reynolds Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurological Sciences, Chief Physician for Clinical Neurosciences Programs at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), and Director of the NIH NIGMS Great Plains IDeA-Clinical and Translational Research (CTR) Network. His work focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration, healthcare system improvement, and mentoring scientists and clinicians.
Since joining UNMC in 2014, Dr. Rizzo has led projects connecting cognitive neuroscience, neuroergonomics, human factors, systems integration, and translational science. He collaborates with experts in medicine, statistics, computer science, and machine learning to develop tools for analyzing large-scale medical data and building secure data-sharing frameworks. These efforts helped establish the READi Core (Research, Education, Administration, and Development of Biomedical Informatics) and expand HL7 FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) use across Nebraska.
As Director of the Great Plains IDeA-CTR Network, he has overseen pilot funding for nearly 160 investigator awards addressing regional and national health priorities. The network has also contributed to national efforts such as the NIH RECOVER Initiative and the National COVID Cohort Collaborative, supporting research on long COVID and treatment outcomes.
Dr. Rizzo has contributed to neuroscience policy through roles with the American Brain Coalition, the American Academy of Neurology, the FDA, and the National Academy of Medicine. His work has informed national initiatives, including the BRAIN Initiative and policies related to brain health.
He also co-leads the integration of research into Project Health, an effort to build a new healthcare facility at UNMC/Nebraska Medicine. The project includes a new inpatient hospital and a statewide system to support clinical care, education, and research.
Dr. Rizzo mentors early-career researchers and clinicians and helped found the Nebraska Medical Orchestra to support collaboration through music. He received UNMC’s highest research honor, the Scientist Laureate Award, in 2020.
- Columbia University, New York (1975)
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, MD (1975)
- University of Iowa College of Medicine, Internal Medicine Internship (1979-1980)
- University of Iowa College of Medicine, Neurology Residency (1980-1983)
- University of Iowa College of Medicine, Fellow Associate in Neurology (1982-1983)
- University of Iowa College of Medicine, Fellowship, Behavioral Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience (1982-1986)