Nathaniel "Nat" M. Alpert, Ph.D.

Nathaniel “Nat” M. Alpert, Ph.D., from Dedham, MA, passed away suddenly on Monday, December 29, 2025. He was 84.

Born on September 16, 1941, in Cambridge, MA to Israel Bailen Alpert and Sara (Fox) Alpert, Nat graduated from Winthrop High School in 1959 and earned three degrees from Northeastern University: BA (1964), MS (1966), and Ph.D. in Physics (1970).

Through his 53-year career with Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Nat’s professional legacy includes pioneering contributions to neuroimaging and positron emission tomography (PET). He took great pride in serving as a trusted colleague and mentor to the next generation of leaders in the medical and scientific fields. Nat’s innovative leadership at the Gordon Center for Medical Imaging and the establishment of the Diana S. and Nathaniel M. Alpert Endowed Chair in Radiology support his lasting impact.

Nat and Diana S. (Heger) Alpert recently celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary. They especially liked dining, traveling, and supporting their favorite nonprofit organizations. Nat enjoyed taking photos throughout Greater Boston, during nature walks, and while on vacation. He often gifted his framed photographs to family and friends. Nat and Diana instilled their love of education, the arts, and philanthropy in their daughter, Laura.

Nat is survived by his wife Diana S. (Heger) Alpert of Dedham, MA; sister Amy S. Alpert of Salem, MA; and daughter Laura B. Alpert of Brookline, MA.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at 12:45 p.m. at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham Street, Sharon, MA 02067. Mourners are invited to sit shiva with the family on Thursday, January 1, 2026, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. at NewBridge on the Charles, 5000 Great Meadow Road, Dedham, MA 02026.

In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring the memory of Nathaniel M. Alpert, Ph.D. by donating to: 1. the future Holocaust Museum Boston through the Holocaust Legacy Foundation, 18 Tremont Street, Suite 608, Boston, MA 02108 or online at https://www.holocaustlegacyfoundation.org/donate/; or 2. Project STEP, Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 or online at https://tinyurl.com/ProjectStepBoston.