John Nicholas Whitaker (November 13, 1940 – August 29, 2001) was an American neurologist and immunologist dedicated to multiple sclerosis research. He was a pioneer in the field of neuroimmunology and contributed with the identification of myelin basic protein production in urine.^[2]

Whitaker was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He graduated from Hendrix College, after which he earned his medical degree from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine.^[3] From 1985 until his death in 2001, he served as chairman of the neurology department at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.^[3]

Whitaker published more than 200 papers pertaining to multiple sclerosis.^[4]

From 1995 to 1997, Whitaker was president of the American Neurological Association.^[5] He was also chair of the medical advisory board of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society from 1994 to 1997.^[5] At the time of his death, Whitaker was also on the editorial boards of fourteen academic journals, and an associate editor of four others.^[2]

Whitaker was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha. He also received a Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award, as well as the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award from the University of Tennessee College of Medical Alumni Association.^[5]