Maria Luisa Gorno Tempini, MD, PhD, is a behavioral neurologist and professor in the UCSF Department of Neurology at the Weill Institute for Neurosciences. She directs the Language Neurobiology Laboratory and the UCSF Dyslexia Center at the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center, where she researches the neural basis of language, memory, and cognitive functions across the lifespan.
Dr. Gorno Tempini’s clinical work focuses on behavioral neurology, including neurodegenerative diseases such as primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), as well as language-based learning differences like dyslexia. Her NIH-funded research contributed to the development of diagnostic criteria for PPA and its variants in 2011, helping clinicians and researchers better classify and treat this complex disorder.
In recognition of her pioneering contributions to neurodegenerative disease research, Dr. Gorno Tempini was awarded the prestigious Potamkin Prize for Research in Pick’s, Alzheimer’s, and Related Diseases, one of the most distinguished honors in the field of neurology.
In 2014, Dr. Gorno Tempini co-founded the UCSF Dyslexia Center, which aims to better understand dyslexia by identifying behavioral phenotypes based on patterns of neuropsychological strengths and weaknesses. This multidisciplinary center brings together neurologists, psychiatrists, biomedical engineers, radiologists, neuropsychologists, speech-language pathologists, and research coordinators to study the structural and functional brain differences in children and older adults with dyslexia. The center’s findings are driving advancements in targeted assessments and interventions for dyslexia in clinical and educational settings.
Dr. Gorno Tempini also leads the state-funded Multitudes Universal Screening Project, one of four approved tools for identifying reading difficulties in California public schools starting in 2025. Her leadership in this initiative reflects her commitment to translating research into real-world solutions that improve educational and clinical outcomes.
Dr. Gorno Tempini earned her medical degree and completed clinical neurology training in Italy. She holds a PhD in neuroimaging of language from University College London. A dedicated mentor, she was awarded an NIH K24 grant to support her work guiding interdisciplinary researchers in clinical cognitive neuroscience.