Remembering Peter J. Dyck, MD
Published September 03, 2025
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AANEM remembers Peter J. Dyck, MD, a remarkable neurologist, educator, and researcher who passed away July 26, 2025, at his home in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Dyck became an Honorary Member of AANEM in 2001 in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the understanding and treatment of peripheral nerve disorders. He remained an active part of the AANEM community, serving on the Muscle & Nerve Editorial Board and presenting research at the AANEM Annual Meetings.
Dr. Dyck studied medicine at the University of Toronto, graduating in 1955 before moving to Rochester, Minnesota in 1959 to train in neurology at the Mayo Clinic. He would remain there for the rest of his distinguished 7-decade career, retiring in 2024 as the longest-serving physician in Mayo Clinic history.
Dr. Dyck’s scientific legacy is unparalleled in the field of NM and EDX medicine. He authored more than 460 peer-reviewed publications and five textbooks. He and Edward Lambert, MD, PhD, were the first to show that nerve conduction studies could be used to detect and predict Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. He reintroduced the use of nerve biopsies and helped develop clinical neuropathy scoring systems and computerized sensory testing.
In 1975, Dr. Dyck published the first major series describing chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), identifying it as a distinct condition and leading early clinical trials showing that prednisone, IVIg, and plasma exchange were effective treatments. He later conducted landmark studies on diabetic and monoclonal gammopathy-related neuropathies and led international trials of novel treatments including nerve growth factor and alpha-lipoic acid.
Dr. Dyck trained more than 150 fellows and served as president of the American Neurological Association and the Peripheral Nerve Association. He co-founded the Peripheral Nerve Society, helping shape the future of NM research and care. AANEM is honored to have counted Dr. Dyck among its members and will remember him with great respect and gratitude.
