Joseph DiStefano III

Joseph DiStefano III, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and also holds a professorship in Medicine (Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension) at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is a member of the Bioinformatics GPB Home Area, Brain Research Institute, and the Molecular, Cellular & Integrative Physiology GPB Home Area. He directs the Biocybernetics Research Laboratory and chairs the Cybernetics Interdepartmental Program (IDP) and the Computational Systems Biology graduate program in Computer Science.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Biocybernetics, Computer Methodology and Applied Mathematics (1966) – UCLA
• M.S. in Control Systems (1964) – UCLA
• B.E.E. in Electrical Engineering (1961) – City College of New York
• Stuyvesant High School (1956) – New York

Research Interests:

Professor DiStefano's research spans a wide range of interdisciplinary areas including systems biology, biocybernetics, PK/PD modeling, and multicompartmental dynamic systems. He focuses on modeling and optimization methodologies applied to life sciences, particularly in endocrine system physiology, thyroid hormone regulation, and therapeutic strategies for cancer, hepatitis C, and diabetes.

His work integrates computational approaches with physiological experimentation to understand complex biological systems and optimize therapeutic interventions. A key theme is the development of expert systems and simulation tools to support clinical decision-making and biological discovery.

Scientific Awards:

• UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award in Engineering (1971)
• Senior Fulbright-Hays Scholar in Italy (1979)
• UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award (2003)
• Lockheed-Martin Award for Teaching Excellence (2004)

Leadership & Labs:

He currently serves as Chair of the Cybernetics Interdepartmental Program (IDP), Chair of the Computational Systems Biology graduate program in Computer Science, Co-Chair of the Biocybernetics Subfield in the Biomedical Engineering IDP, and Director of the Biocybernetics Research Laboratory at UCLA.