{"id":13818,"date":"2017-12-16T08:39:04","date_gmt":"2017-12-16T14:39:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcknight.org\/?page_id=13818"},"modified":"2025-10-13T09:40:02","modified_gmt":"2025-10-13T14:40:02","slug":"awardees","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mcknight.org\/en_ca\/programs\/the-mcknight-endowment-fund-for-neuroscience\/scholar-awards\/awardees\/","title":{"rendered":"Awardees"},"content":{"rendered":"
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2025-2027<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Arkarup Banerjee, Ph.D.<\/a><\/strong>, Assistant Professor, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY<\/p>\n

Neural Circuit Mechanisms for Behavior Novelty<\/em><\/p>\n

The origins of diverse behavioral traits have fascinated biologists for centuries. Many studies have identified genetic pathways that influence animal behavior, but the neural circuit basis of how complex behaviors evolve, especially in mammals, remains largely elusive. Since behaviors do not fossilize, a powerful strategy is to compare recently-diverged species that display striking behavioral differences.<\/p>\n

The Banerjee lab studies vocal communication across rodents with a special emphasis on the Alston’s Singing Mouse\u2014a New World rodent native to the cloud forests of Central America. Unlike most rodents that emit only soft, variable, ultrasonic vocalizations, these singing mice also produce loud, stereotyped, human-audible songs used for fast vocal interactions resembling human conversation. Using this model system, the Banerjee lab pursues two complementary questions: How does the auditory system interact with the motor system to generate the fast sensorimotor loop required for vocal interactions? And how do changes in neural circuits enable the rapid evolution of novel vocal behaviors?<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Josefina del M\u00e1rmol, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA<\/p>\n

Sensing Water and the Evolution of Terrestrialisation in Invertebrates<\/em><\/p>\n

Conquering a new ecological habitat requires physiological adaptations that, in extreme cases, involve the development of new organs and sensory abilities. Amongst the most drastic examples of such adaptations is the colonization of terrestrial niches by marine invertebrates. This transition resulted in the emergence of a new sense: the sense of humidity, to inform animals on water content in the air and avoid desiccation. How does an organism develop a new sensory modality from scratch?<\/p>\n

This proposal examines the acquisition of humidity sensing to support life in terrestrial niches, by investigating the form, function and evolutionary history of an ancient family of invertebrate sensory receptors used to sense humidity in terrestrial invertebrates. These explorations will shed light on the molecular and mechanistic bases of sensory innovation and how sensory receptors can be repurposed by evolution to serve a new role that gave rise to life on land and, ultimately, reshaped life on earth.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Chantell Evans, Ph.D.<\/a><\/strong>, Assistant Professor, Duke University, Durham, NC<\/p>\n

Mechanistic Insights into Neuronal Mitophagy During Homeostasis and Neurodegeneration<\/em><\/p>\n

Neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson\u2019s, Alzheimer\u2019s, and ALS are caused by the gradual loss of neurons. These diseases have a profound impact on patients, their families, and the healthcare system, and there are currently no known cures for them. While scientific advances have identified genes associated with increased risk for neurodegenerative diseases, the underlying mechanisms driving these diseases remain elusive.<\/p>\n

Through her research, Dr. Chantell Evans is gaining a deeper understanding by delving into the molecular mechanisms that enable neurons to maintain their health through mitochondrial control. Her team is uncovering how neurons actively remove damaged mitochondria via the mitophagy pathway and how mitophagy dysregulation contributes to disease onset. Using cutting-edge live-cell imaging and other advanced tools, she will investigate how the spatial and temporal dynamics of mitophagy are altered in response to neuronal activity and how changes in mitophagy rates may render neurons more susceptible to disease. By understanding these processes at the molecular level, Dr. Evans\u2019 research could uncover novel mechanisms to slow or stop the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, offering a hope for future breakthroughs.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Yvette Fisher, Ph.D.<\/a><\/strong>, Assistant Professor, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA<\/p>\n

Exploring the Cellular and Circuit Mechanisms That Support Persistent Yet Dynamic Spatial Coding<\/em><\/p>\n

To maintain a sense of direction, our brain tracks our body\u2019s movements as well as surrounding landmarks. However, these signals can change: a prominent landmark might disappear behind a cloud, or a chronic leg injury can alter the amount we move with every step we take. How does the brain construct and maintain a coherent sense of direction that flexibly accommodates such changes?<\/p>\n

Dr. Yvette Fisher\u2019s research seeks to use navigational circuitry to understand how neural circuits perform different computations under different conditions. Dr. Fisher and her team explore this question using the brain of the fly, Drosophila<\/em>. Many insects are expert navigators and the circuits that hold the fly\u2019s internal compass have been recently identified within a brain region that is highly conserved across insects. By combining the fly\u2019s advanced genetic toolbox with accessibility to in vivo<\/em> electrophysiology and 2-photon imaging during behavior, this research will explore how real-time changes in synaptic physiology, intrinsic excitability, and circuit dynamics enable the fly\u2019s brain to form a faithful sense of direction under varying conditions and behavioral states.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Christine Grienberger, Ph.D.<\/a><\/strong>, Assistant Professor, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA<\/p>\n

Dissecting Neocortical Plasticity Mechanisms During a Sensory Associative Learning Task<\/em>We often take for granted the brain\u2019s remarkable ability to learn\u2014whether it\u2019s forming new habits, recognizing meaningful sounds, or vividly recalling moments from years past. Yet the cellular mechanisms that allow the brain to transform fleeting sensory experiences into lasting changes in behavior remain poorly understood. A central question is how neurons in the sensory cortex adapt as we learn, and what algorithms govern these changes.<\/p>\n

Dr. Christine Grienberger addresses this question by studying how the brain\u2019s plasticity mechanisms reshape neural activity during learning. Her lab uses high-resolution imaging and electrical recording techniques in awake, behaving mice to investigate how individual neurons adjust their responses when animals learn to associate specific environmental cues with rewards. By linking cellular-level plasticity to changes in perception and behavior, this research aims to uncover core principles of how the brain learns from experience. These insights may ultimately support the development of new therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders and inspire new directions in artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Theanne Griffith, Ph.D.<\/a><\/strong>, Assistant Professor, University of California, Davis School of Medicine, Davis, CANoncanonical Roles for Sensory Input in Motor System Development and Adaptation<\/em><\/p>\n

Animals that require purposeful movement for survival are endowed with an intuitive awareness of where their body parts are in space, called proprioception, which is required for both gross and dexterous movements. Proprioceptors are the specialized sensory neurons in the peripheral nervous system that initiate proprioceptive signaling and are traditionally known for their ability to shape motor function by encoding muscle length and force. Work in Dr. Theanne Griffth\u2019s lab is aimed at demonstrating that their physiological functions are more complex and far-reaching.<\/p>\n

In her research, Dr. Griffith is uncovering a new role for sensory proprioceptive signaling as a key driver of developmental and adaptive processes within motor systems. Using an integrative systems physiology approach that spans tissues and timescales, her work will radically transform how we view proprioceptors in sensorimotor networks and potentially reveal novel mechanisms that serve as footholds for future therapeutic advances to treat developmental and degenerative diseases.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Matthew Lovett-Barron, Ph.D.<\/a><\/strong>, Assistant Professor, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA<\/p>\n

Neurobiology of Expanded Perception in Animal Collectives<\/em><\/p>\n

In animal collectives such as flocks of birds and schools of fish, the effects of sensory stimuli spread through groups, as each individual responds to its neighbors’ actions. This social information transmission extends each animal’s awareness beyond its immediate sensory range, enhancing navigation, foraging, and predator avoidance. However, the neural mechanisms that allow individuals to perceive and respond to their social partners’ actions remain largely unknown.<\/p>\n

Dr. Lovett-Barron will investigate these mechanisms in glassfish, a small optically-accessible fish that schools using vision. By imaging neural activity across the brains of glassfish engaged in a social virtual reality, the Lovett-Barron lab will identify the neural circuits that enable fish to extract relevant cues from the movements and postures of their neighbors. This investigation will show how neural processing of social visual signals enables coordinated group actions, providing key insights into how multiple brains generate adaptive collective behaviors in nature.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Lucas Pinto, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0 Assistant Professor, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL<\/p>\n

Disentangling Cognitive Computation in the Cortex<\/em><\/p>\n

Cognitive behaviors like decision making arise from component processes. For example, when navigating without GPS, deciding which way to turn requires integrating visual information with your plans and internal spatial map. Each of these component processes engage similar sets of regions of the cerebral cortex. But how can the same region support different processes?<\/p>\n

Dr. Pinto and his team will probe how information flow through cortical circuits is rerouted on the fly by neuromodulatory molecules to meet cognitive demands. They have leveraged their expertise in computer-automated behavioral training to create a decision-making task for mice navigating in virtual mazes, which disentangles several cognitive processes for the first time. While mice perform this task, Dr. Pinto\u2019s lab will use cutting-edge in vivo<\/em> microscopy tools to measure and perturb the activity of cortical neurons, and of the cortical and neuromodulatory inputs they receive. This work will generate transformative circuit-grounded accounts of flexible cognitive computation in the cortex.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Sergey Stavisky, Ph.D.<\/a><\/strong>, Assistant Professor, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA<\/p>\n

Understanding \u2014 and Restoring \u2014 Language by Measuring Cellular-Resolution Human Neural Ensemble Dynamics<\/em><\/p>\n

Language is a unique human capability. It sits at a vertex with other cognitive abilities, including memory and executive control, and underpins both our individual and societal intelligence. Due to the lack of animal models and the rarity of human brain recording, little is known about the biological basis of language at the resolution of circuit computation \u2013 individual neurons.\u00a0\u00a0Moreover, we have no technologies to repair the devastating loss of the ability to communicate through language due to neurological injury.<\/p>\n

Dr. Stavisky and his team hope to address this neuroscientific and medical gap by identifying the neural representations of semantic features across the brain\u2019s language network. They will record from thousands of individual neurons in human participants through the lab\u2019s brain-computer interface (BCI) clinical trials and other neurosurgical opportunities. By identifying the encoding scheme for specific concepts across the neural ensemble, this work will advance our understanding of the computational basis of human language. It may also point to better architectures for artificial intelligence systems. Last but not least, this project aims to develop a language neuroprosthesis that will enable individuals suffering from language disorders to effectively communicate.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Alex Williams, Ph.D.<\/a><\/strong>, Assistant Professor, New York University and the Flatiron Institute, New York, NY<\/p>\n

Computational Methods to Characterize Variability in Large-Scale Neural Circuits<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Williams investigates how large networks of neurons can function reliably, even though both the brain and behavior are naturally variable and often noisy. Traditionally, scientists have averaged brain activity across many trials and individuals, which hides important differences. The Williams lab develops new computational methods to capture unique patterns of neural activity in individual animals and behavioral trials. By doing so, they aim to uncover how differences in brain activity relate to differences in behavior, and to distinguish between healthy variability and signs of dysfunction.<\/p>\n

To achieve these goals, the Williams lab develops novel statistical methods and theoretical frameworks that apply broadly across different brain areas, model organisms, and behavioral protocols. Their past work has developed approaches to capture moment-to-moment changes in response amplitude, timing, and recurring sequences or “motifs” in neural activity, all of which may underlie processes like learning, attention, and decision-making. In other work, they have introduced methods to describe how neural response noise is modulated by sensory and behavioral inputs, and how the structure of neural responses varies across individual animals or species. Ultimately, their work aims to provide a clearer picture of how the brain\u2019s natural variability supports flexible and robust behavior, and to deliver practical tools that can be used across many areas of neuroscience research.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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2024-2026<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Annegret Falkner, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ<\/p>\n

Computational Neuroendocrinology: Linking Hormone-Mediated Transcription to Complex Behavior Through Neural Dynamics<\/em><\/p>\n

Gonadal hormones \u2013 estrogen and testosterone are among the best known \u2013 are important to mammals in many ways. They modulate internal states, behavior, and physiology. But while much has been studied about how these hormones affect the body, less well understood is how they change neural dynamics.<\/p>\n

In her research, Dr. Annegret Falkner and her lab will investigate how hormones change neural networks and thereby affect behavior over short and long timeframes. Using new methods for behavioral quantification, she will observe and record behaviors of all kinds in freely-behaving animals during a hormone state-change; map neural dynamics of hormone-sensitive networks across a hormone state change; and use site-specific optical hormone imaging to observe where and when estrogen-receptor-mediated transcription occurs within this network \u2013 a window into how hormones are able to update network communication, and one which will help researchers understand the profound ways hormones affect the brain and behavior.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Andrea Gomez, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> Assistant Professor, Neurobiology, University of California, Berkeley, CA<\/p>\n

The Molecular Basis of Psychedelic-Induced Plasticity<\/em><\/p>\n

The brain possesses the ability to change itself, a feature described as \u201cplasticity.\u201d Dr. Andrea Gomez aims to learn more about brain plasticity by using psychedelics as a tool, reopening plasticity windows in the adult brain using the psychedelic psilocybin in a mouse model. Not only might this help us learn more about how the brain works, but it may also aid in the development of next-generation therapeutics.<\/p>\n

Psychedelics have long-lasting structural effects on neurons, such as increased neuronal process outgrowth and synapse formation. A single dose can have months-long effects. In her research, Dr. Gomez and her team will use psychedelics to identify classes of RNA that promote neural plasticity in the prefrontal cortex. Gomez\u2019s lab will assess how psychedelics change how RNA is spliced, establish the link between psilocybin-induced RNA changes and plasticity in mice as measured by synaptic activity, and observe the effect of psychedelic-induced plasticity on social interaction.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Sinisa Hrvatin, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor of Biology, Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA<\/p>\n

Molecular Anatomy of Hibernation Circuits<\/em><\/p>\n

Most people understand the concept of hibernation, but relatively few think about how remarkable it is. Mammals that specifically evolved to maintain a constant body temperature abruptly \u201cswitch off\u201d that feature, change their metabolism, and change their behavior for months at a time. While the facts of hibernation are well understood, how animals initiate and maintain that state is not well understood, nor is how this ability arose.<\/p>\n

Dr. Sinisa Hrvatin proposes to delve into the neuronal populations and circuits involved in hibernation using a less-common model, the Syrian hamster. Syrian hamsters can be induced to hibernate environmentally, making them ideal for a laboratory experiment, but there are no available transgenic lines (like in mice), which led him to apply novel RNA-sensing-based viral tools to target specific cell populations related to hibernation. He will document neurons active during hibernation to identify relevant circuits and examine whether similar circuits are conserved in other hibernating and non-hibernating models.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Xin Jin, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institution, La Jolla, CA<\/p>\n

In vivo Neurogenomics at Scale<\/em><\/p>\n

When studying gene function in neurons, researchers often have to choose between scale and resolution. But to Dr. Xin Jin, the power of the genome is most fully realized when tools allow researchers to study a large number of genes across the brain and see where they are present and where they intersect in specific brain regions.<\/p>\n

Dr. Jin\u2019s lab has developed new massively parallel in vivo<\/em> sequencing approaches to scale up the investigation of large numbers of gene variants and map their presence in whole, intact brains. The ability to profile over 30,000 cells at once allows the team to study hundreds of genes in hundreds of cell types and get a readout in a matter of two days rather than weeks. They will conduct whole-organ surveys, demonstrating the ability to not only identify which cells include specific variants, but identify their context within the brain: where they are located and how they are connected.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Ann Kennedy, Ph.D.,<\/strong> Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL<\/p>\n

Neural Population Dynamics Mediating the Balance of Competing Survival Needs <\/em><\/p>\n

To survive, animals have evolved a wide range of innate behaviors such as feeding, mating, aggression and fear responses. Researchers have been able to record neural activity in mouse models while they are engaged in these kinds of behaviors. But in the real world, animals often have to weigh and decide between multiple urgent courses of action.<\/p>\n

Dr. Ann Kennedy is engaged in developing theoretical computational models that will help advance our understanding of how important decisions like these are made. Looking at the neural activity in the hypothalamus of mice engaged in aggression-type behavior, Dr. Kennedy and her team will develop neural network models that capture the scalability and persistence of aggressive motivational states, while also providing a mechanism for trading off between multiple competing motivational states in the animal\u2019s behavior. From this work, Dr. Kennedy\u2019s lab will advance our understanding of how the structure built into the brain helps animals survive.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Sung Soo Kim, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of California-Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA<\/p>\n

Neural Representation of The World During Navigation<\/em><\/p>\n

Anyone who has ever had to navigate a known but darkened room understands how valuable it is that our brains can navigate our surrounding environment using a variety of information, inside and out, including colors, shapes, and a sense of self-motion. Working with a fruit fly model and a new, innovative experimental apparatus, Dr. Sung Soo Kim and his team will investigate what is happening in the brain when navigating.<\/p>\n

Dr. Kim will investigate how multiple sensory inputs are transformed into a sense of direction and how behavioral contexts affect direction processing. A key to this research is a novel virtual reality arena Dr. Kim\u2019s team is building with a very large microscope overhead means the entire brain of the fly can be imaged even as it turns. By activating and silencing certain neuronal populations, Dr. Kim will be able to conduct research that looks at the combined role of perception, cognition, and motor control.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Bianca Jones Marlin, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, Columbia University and the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, NY<\/p>\n

Molecular Mechanisms of Intergenerational Memory<\/em><\/p>\n

Can the memory of a stressful experience be inherited by the next generation? Recent research seems to suggest that it can, and Dr. Bianca Jones Marlin and her team are prepared to investigate how experiences that induce fear or stress in a mouse model can cause changes to the very neurons present in its brain, and how those changes can be genetically inherited by the children of the animal that experienced the stress.<\/p>\n

Dr. Marlin\u2019s research draws on the discovery that changes in the environment lead to experience-dependent plasticity in the brain. Using olfactory fear conditioning, the team has learned that mice will produce more olfactory neurons attuned to the odor used. That higher ratio persists, is encoded in sperm, and is passed down to the next generation (but not subsequent generations.) Dr. Marlin\u2019s lab will research the process on a molecular level which she hopes not only aids researchers, but also raises awareness of the effects of trauma.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Nancy Padilla-Coreano, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL<\/p>\n

Neural Mechanisms of Shifts Between Social Competition and Cooperation<\/em><\/p>\n

Social animals have very complex interactions, often switching from cooperation to competition in a very short time span. Dr. Nancy Padilla-Coreano aims to understand the neural networks involved using behavioral assays, multi-site electrophysiology, and machine learning analyses. The findings can help researchers better understand what underlies social competency, which is hampered in a number of neuropsychiatric disorders.<\/p>\n

Dr. Padilla-Coreano\u2019s team is making use of innovative technologies, such as AI assistance in identifying and tracking behavior of the animals, and research methodologies to identify the circuits active during cooperation and competition. Hypothesizing that they are overlapping circuits, the team will manipulate each circuit in the same animals and observe how behavior changes when introduced to certain situations. A second aim will investigate what is upstream of those circuits; and a third will investigate the role of dopamine in the process. Taken together, the research will help reveal how the brain helps social animals optimize and change.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Mubarak Hussain Syed, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM<\/p>\n

Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Neural Diversity: From Stem Cells to Circuits<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Mubarak Hussain Syed will investigate what determines how neurons of different types arise from neural stem cells (NSCs) and how developmental factors specify adult behaviors. His lab will focus on how Type II NSCs produce neuron types of the central complex. Previous research has shown that the timing of a cell\u2019s birth descending from a Type II NSC correlates with its eventual cell type. Specific proteins expressed temporally at those times are believed to regulate the fate of the neuron types.<\/p>\n

Through loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments targeting those proteins and pathways, Dr. Syed\u2019s team will learn the mechanism through which they change the fates of the neurons and what effect that has on behaviors. Further experiments will look at how circuits of the higher-order brain regions are formed. Dr. Syed will work through his program called Pueblo Brain Science to train and mentor the next generation of diverse neuroscientists as he conducts his research.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Longzhi Tan, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor of Neurobiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA<\/p>\n

How Does 3D Genome Architecture Shape the Development and Aging of the Brain?<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Longzhi Tan and his team are using a revolutionary \u201cbiochemical microscope\u201d that can show the 3D shape of DNA molecules within a cell to a resolution unmatched by optical telescopes, and in the process are discovering that the unique folding can tell researchers a great deal about a cell.<\/p>\n

The biochemical microscope at the heart of the research uses proximity ligation instead of optics. Part of the project will involve constructing the next generation of this tool so Dr. Tan\u2019s team can 3D-locate every RNA molecule in a brain cell and where it is in relation to the folded DNA. This will contribute to a rulebook about DNA folding. Since the folding degrades with age as well, understanding how this influences aging might provide insights into ways to reverse or slow some impacts of aging. A final aim will look at how mutations and folding differences influence differences between individuals.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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2023-2025<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Ishmail Abdus-Saboor, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences and the Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY<\/p>\n

Skin-Brain Axis for Rewarding Touch Behaviors<\/em><\/p>\n

Social touch is a key stimulus that is foundational to human experiences ranging from nurturing others and building social bonds to sexual receptivity. Working with a mouse model and optogenetics, Abdus-Saboor\u2019s previous research has shown that there are direct connections between skin neural cells and the brain, and that dedicated cells are specifically tuned to certain touch cues. These cells are necessary and sufficient to elicit specific physical responses.<\/p>\n

In his new research, Abdus-Saboor and his team aim to define how neurons in the skin trigger unique positive signals in the brain, and how the brain receives and processes those signals as rewarding, as well as identifying touch neurons that are required in different touch scenarios (nurturing pups vs. grooming or play). A third aim will seek to identify what sensor on these cells identifies touch. The research will reveal more about the skin-brain connection, with potential applications for researchers studying social disorders.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Yasmine El-Shamayleh, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience & Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York City, NY<\/p>\n

Cortical Circuits for Perceiving Visual Form<\/em><\/p>\n

In primates, roughly 30% of the cerebral cortex is dedicated to processing visual information. Using new techniques, Dr. El-Shamayleh is working toward developing a detailed mechanistic understanding of how the brain detects and recognizes the objects we see. Focusing on cortical area V4, El-Shamayleh\u2019s research is revealing how various types of neurons in this brain region support our ability to perceive the shape of visual objects.<\/p>\n

Cortical area V4 is highly attuned to the shape of objects in the world. Building on these key insights and using novel applications of viral vector-based optogenetics, El-Shamayleh is recording and manipulating the activity of specific groups of V4 neurons with unprecedented precision. This research is identifying how various types of neurons in cortical area V4 interact to process an object\u2019s shape and will unlock details about how primate brains process visual information. The technical innovations established in this research will also facilitate future mechanistic studies of primate brain function and behaviors.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Vikram Gadagkar, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience & Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York City, NY<\/p>\n

Neural Mechanisms of Courtship and Monogamy<\/em><\/p>\n

While there has been significant research into how animals learn and perform behaviors, less attention has been paid to how one animal evaluates the performance of another during social interactions. In songbirds, most research has looked at what happens in the brains of males performing a song to attract a mate, but not what occurs in the female bird\u2019s brain as she listens to male song.<\/p>\n

Dr. Gadagkar\u2019s work will look at a part of the brain called HVC, a sensorimotor nucleus known to be active in males to keep time as they learn and perform their song. For the first time, he and his lab are recording what happens in female HVC as she listens and evaluates male song. Second, Dr. Gadagkar will examine how females make their evaluation, and what neurons do when errors are detected. Finally, the research will look at the dopamine system to see how the brain shows a preference for the most attractive performance.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Hidehiko Inagaki, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, Jupiter, FL<\/p>\n

Synaptic Mechanisms and Network Dynamics Underlying Motor Learning<\/em><\/p>\n

Learning a new skill requires the brain to make changes to its circuitry, a process known as plasticity. While significant research has been done to identify how brain networks execute the skill, less is understood about the mechanics of learning new skills. Dr. Inagaki and his team are working to zero in on the cells and processes involved during the process of learning.<\/p>\n

Using in vivo 2-photon imaging and large-scale electrophysiology in a mouse model, Dr. Inagaki and his team can now watch at the cellular level what changes are happening as a new skill is learned \u2013 in this case, learning a new timing for the action. Using genetic manipulation to enable the researchers to activate or inhibit proteins associated with plasticity, they aim to uncover not just what changes in the brain, but how those changes are initiated and consolidated. Understanding more about how learning works could have implications for research into learning impairments.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Peri Kurshan, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> Assistant Professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY<\/p>\n

Unravelling The Mechanisms of Synapse Development, From Molecules to Behavior<\/em><\/p>\n

Synapses, the places where signals are sent and received between neurons, are the key to the function of neural circuits that underlie behavior. Understanding how synapses develop at the molecular level and how synaptic development influences behavior is the aim of Dr. Kurshan\u2019s research. The dominant model holds that a class of proteins called synaptic cell-adhesion molecules (sCAMs) initiate the process, with a family of sCAMs called neurexins especially indicated. But in vivo research shows that knocking out neurexins does not eliminate synapses.<\/p>\n

Dr Kurshan\u2019s work indicates that presynaptic cytosolic scaffold proteins may self-associate with the cell membrane, and then subsequently recruit neurexins to stabilize synapses. In her new research, using imaging, proteomics, computational modeling, and transgenic manipulation, she and her lab aim to identify what proteins and cell-membrane components are involved and how they interact. The research has implications for a range of neurological disorders that are tied to synaptic defects.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Scott Linderman, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> Assistant Professor, Statistics and Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA<\/p>\n

Machine Learning Methods for Discovering Structure in Neural and Behavioral Data<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Linderman\u2019s contributions to neuroscience lie in developing machine learning methods that can manage and extract insights from the staggering amounts of data these kinds of research produce, such as high-resolution recordings of large numbers of neurons across the brain and simultaneously observing behaviors of freely behaving animals over long timeframes. Linderman and his team partner with research labs to develop probabilistic machine learning methods to find patterns in all that data.<\/p>\n

Linderman\u2019s lab is focused specifically on computational neuroethology and probabilistic modeling \u2013 essentially, figuring out how to construct and fit statistical models to the kind of data researchers produce today. His ongoing and future projects demonstrate the breadth of ways machine learning can be applied to neural research. Linderman approaches the work as an integrated partner with experimental collaborators, and by developing methods to solve the problems of neurobiology is also helping advance the fields of statistics and machine learning.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Swetha Murthy, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> Assistant Professor, Vollum Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR<\/p>\n

Mechanosensation for Guiding Cellular Morphology<\/em><\/p>\n

Mechanosensation \u2013 or the detection of physical force by a cell or a neuron \u2013 is a surprisingly subtle and multi-purpose function mediated by certain ion channels (among other proteins) on the cellular membrane. An obvious example is the sense of touch. Dr. Murthy\u2019s lab is digging into a much smaller-scale instance of mechanosensation with profound implications for neural health: The process of myelination, in which specialized cells called oligodendrocytes (OLs) form a sheath around a nerve to improve conduction.<\/p>\n

It is hypothesized that mechanical cues (among other factors) can govern OL morphology and myelination, but the underlying mechanisms have remained unknown. Murthy\u2019s lab is studying the mechano-activated ion channel TMEM63A, which is expressed in OLs, to reveal how these channels could mediate myelination and in turn shed light on how mechanical cues guide the process. Understanding how myelination can work \u2013 and how it can fail \u2013 will be helpful to researchers studying a range of conditions tied to myelination.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Karthik Shekhar, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\/ Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA<\/p>\n

Evolution of Neural Diversity and Patterning in the Visual System<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Shekhar\u2019s lab seeks to understand how diverse neural types and their organization evolved to serve the needs of different animals. His research focuses on the visual system of the brain, specifically the retina and the primary visual cortex, which are remarkably well conserved across species separated by hundreds of millions of years of evolution.<\/p>\n

Shekhar\u2019s research will examine the evolutionary conservation and divergence of neuronal types in the retina of several vertebrate species, from fish to birds to mammals, and use computational approaches to reconstruct the evolution of neural diversity, including whether evolution led to the rise of new types or modification of existing types. A concurrent effort will investigate the visual cortex and trace the origins of early developmental epochs known as \u201ccritical periods\u201d, where neural networks in the brain show exquisite plasticity to sensory experience. A guiding principle underlying Shekhar\u2019s approach is that interdisciplinary collaborations can bring new approaches to tackle big questions in neuroscience.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Tanya Sippy, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> Assistant Professor, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, NY<\/p>\n

Modulation of Striatal Cells and Synapses by Dopamine Movement Signals<\/em><\/p>\n

Dopamine is perhaps the most widely known neuromodulator, largely due to the role it plays in signaling reward. However, dopamine also plays a key role in movement, which is clearly demonstrated by the inability of patients with Parkinson\u2019s Disease, a disorder of dopamine, to initiate movements. Dr. Sippy aims to help learn more about how dopamine is involved in movement, through very precise in vivo measurements of dopamine fluctuations simultaneously with the membrane potential in target neurons.<\/p>\n

Membrane potential recordings allow Dr. Sippy\u2019s lab members to measure two properties of neurons that are known to be affected by neuromodulation: 1) the strength of synaptic inputs and 2) the excitability of the neurons that determines how they respond to these inputs. But measuring both dopamine fluctuations and membrane potential in one cell is very hard. Sippy\u2019s work hinges on the discovery that dopamine activity is mirrored in the two hemispheres of the brain, and so measurement of it and membrane potential can be made on opposite sides and still have strongly correlated results. With these recordings made, Sippy will optogenetically manipulate the dopamine system and see how activating or suppressing dopamine affects the properties of target neurons, and how this affects the actions of the animal.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Moriel Zelikowsky, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> Assistant Professor, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT<\/p>\n

Neuropeptidergic Cortical Control of Social Isolation<\/em><\/p>\n

Prolonged social isolation can negatively impact mammalian life, including a steep rise in aggression. While many studies have looked at subcortical control of natural forms of aggression, few have looked at pathological forms of aggression or their top-down control. Dr. Zelikowsky aims to better understand the mechanism and cortical circuits involved in the rise of aggression as a result of chronic social isolation.<\/p>\n

Initial research using a mouse model identified a role for the neuropeptide Tachykinin 2 (Tac2) as a subcortical neuromodulator of isolation-induced fear and aggression. Critically, Tac2 was also found to be upregulated in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) after social isolation. Zelikowsky\u2019s research uses cell-type specific perturbations in mice who have experienced social isolation. Machine learning is used to identify clusters of behavior, which are mapped to imaged brain activity. By understanding how isolation can change the brains of mammals, future researchers may be able to better understand the effects of extended social deprivation in humans.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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2022-2024<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Christine Constantinople, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor, New York University Center for Neural Science, New York City, NY<\/p>\n

Neural Circuit Mechanisms of Inference<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Constantinople is working with a rat model to uncover what parts of the brain are involved in inferring things about the world and how neurons come to represent things in the world, and the neurological differences between making a cognitive decision in an uncertain environment or falling back on habitual action. The experiment involves waiting for a known water reward, or \u201copting out\u201d in hopes that the next reward offered is more worthwhile.<\/p>\n

By monitoring brain activity in multiple regions and in specific projections during both predictable and unpredictable periods and the transitions between them, and inactivating specific brain regions and neural pathways in different trials, Dr. Constantine proposes to identify the mechanisms involved in inference. She proposes that different processes are involved when choosing action based on a mental model vs. model-free decisions; that different thalamic nuclei encode the rewards and the rat\u2019s history separately; and that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) integrates these two overlapping but distinct inputs to infer unknown states.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Bradley Dickerson, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor, Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ<\/p>\n

Proportional-Integral Feedback in a Biological \u2018Gyroscope\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

The nervous system collects and acts on incoming information within milliseconds \u2013 sometimes with hard-wired reflexes, sometimes with intention. Dr. Dickerson proposes to resolve the level of control fruit flies have over certain wing muscle assemblies through an experiment that studies specialized mechanosensory organs unique to flies known as halteres, which act as a sort of automatic gyroscope.<\/p>\n

Dr. Dickerson proposes that the haltere has separate control mechanisms that can be recruited during perturbations to offer the fly maximum control. In controls engineering lingo, he believes the haltere can react to both proportional (the size of a perturbation) and integral (how the perturbation changes over time) feedback \u2013 a greater sophistication than previously believed. Using an epiflourescent microscope, a two-photon microscope above the fly to monitor brain activity, and a camera below tracking wing motion, he will track what happens in neurons and muscles when the fly is presented with visual stimuli. He hopes to create a model of how brains, neurons, and muscles communicate that can advance our understanding of how movement is controlled.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Markita Landry, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor, University of California \u2013 Berkeley, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Berkely, CA<\/p>\n

Illuminating Oxytocin Signaling in the Brain with Near-Infrared Fluorescent Nanosensors<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Landry\u2019s work involves the creation of \u201coptical probes\u201d \u2013 miniscule carbon nanotubes with a peptide bound to the surface that will fluoresce in near-infrared light when in the presence of oxytocin in the brain. This fluorescence can be detected with high precision on a millisecond timescale, letting researchers see exactly where and when it is present in a brain, and so identify under what conditions oxytocin release might be impaired (and thus treatable) in mood, behavior, and social disorders.<\/p>\n

Importantly, these nanotubes can be introduced into brain tissue externally; the fluorescence is not the result of genetic encoding, so it can be used on animals that have not been modified. Because they emit near-infrared light, it is possible that the light can be detected through the cranium, which would enable minimal disturbance to the subjects. With these sensors as a tool, Dr. Landry hopes to help improve diagnosis of neurological disorders and so destigmatize and improve treatment of many such conditions.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Lauren Orefice, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a> Massachusetts General Hospital \/ Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA<\/p>\n

Development, Function, and Dysfunction of Somatosensory and Viscerosensory Systems in Autism Spectrum Disorder<\/em><\/p>\n

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has traditionally been thought to be caused solely by abnormalities in the brain, but in her research, Dr. Orefice has found that alterations in peripheral sensory neurons contribute to the development of ASD symptoms in mice, including hypersensitivity to touch of the skin and altered social behaviors. Her current research will focus on whether peripheral sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) that detect stimuli in the gastrointestinal tract are also abnormal in mouse models for ASD, and understanding how alterations in somatosensory circuit development due to peripheral sensory neuron dysfunction result in changes to connected brain circuits that regulate or modify social behaviors.<\/p>\n

Finally, Dr. Orefice will focus on translating her findings from preclinical mouse studies to understanding ASD-associated sensory issues in humans. Dr. Orefice will first test whether approaches that reduce peripheral sensory neuron excitability can improve touch over-reactivity and gastrointestinal problems in mice. She will leverage these findings in mice to better understand human physiology using studies of cultured cells taken from people with ASD.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Kanaka Rajan, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Associate Professor, Department of Neurobiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School; Faculty, Kempner Institute for the Study of Natural and Artificial Intelligence, Harvard University
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Multiscale Neural Network Models to Infer Functional Motifs in the Brain<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Rajan is harnessing the power of AI-based models to make better, more predictive representations of the brain. Using recurrent neural network models (RNNs), Dr. Rajan has discovered that placing more constraints on computational models resulted in more consistent findings and smaller, more robust solution spaces. She has since turned to developing multi-scale RNNs where the constraints are neural, behavior, and anatomical data from real experiments, and are simultaneously applied. Her next step will be to create multi-scale RNNs using such data recorded from multiple species well-studied in neuroscience\u2014larval zebrafish, fruit flies, and mice\u2014to create models.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, using datasets from different species will allow Dr. Rajan to identify \u201cFunctional Motifs\u201d and use them to discover unexpected commonalities and divergences across these systems. These common, discrete ensembles of active neurons that are linked to similar behaviors and states, regardless of species, will help us to infer how brains operate at a fundamental level. With the data available, these models can run many scenarios and identify what changes in structure or neural activity result in different behavioral outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Weiwei Wang, Ph.D<\/strong><\/a>., <\/strong>Assistant Professor, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX<\/p>\n

Understanding the Construction and Function of Glycinergic Post-Synaptic Assemblies<\/em><\/p>\n

The way neurons communicate with each other is remarkably intricate: neurotransmitters are passed from one neuron to the next across synapses, signaling synaptic receptors on the receiving neuron to open and form channels that allow ions to pass through, and so transmitting an electrical signal. However, if the synapses fail to work or fail to form, the impairment of these signals can contribute to neurological disorders. Dr. Wang seeks to broaden our understanding of these synapses, how they form, and how they work \u2013 in particular, how they organize synaptic receptors into clusters, and why it matters that the receptors assemble in high concentrations \u2013 by studying in detail the glycinergic synapse.<\/p>\n

Dr. Wang will use cryo-electron microscopy to precisely identify the molecular structure of each glycinergic synapse sub-type that has not yet been resolved and so identify how each functions; test how the scaffolding that the glycine receptors cluster on is formed from the proteins gephyrin, neuroligin-2, and collybistin; and finally test purified receptors on an artificial membrane, first in isolation, then bound to the scaffold, and then bound to the scaffold in a cluster to see how the function changes.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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2021-2023<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Lucas Cheadle, PhD<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Uncovering the Molecular Basis of Microglial Function in the Stimulated Brain<\/em><\/p>\n

In his research, Dr. Cheadle is studying the development of visual neural connections using a mouse model in which some mice are reared in a light-free environment during a crucial stage of development. His previous research shows that microglia essentially \u201csculpt\u201d the visual system, culling synaptic connections that are less beneficial. As a result, the physical ordering of that part of the neural system is different in mice reared in the dark than those reared in light. In his ongoing work, Dr. Cheadle will seek to identify at the molecular level how microglia are stimulated by external factors (such as light) and the mechanisms by which they then sculpt synapses.<\/p>\n

The research offers several novel approaches, including using gene-editing technology to knock out specific microglial genes to define their roles in visual circuit development, as well as creating a transgenic line of mice that tags functionally active microglial cells in the brain, both tactics most often applied to neurons that Dr. Cheadle is adapting to study microglia for the first time.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Josie Clowney, PhD<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan, Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Ann Arbor, MI<\/p>\n

A Feminist Framing of Fruitless: Maleness as a Suppression of Female Neural Programs<\/em><\/p>\n

A great deal of research into the differences between male and female brains has been behavioral, such as the performance of mating rituals, but less is understood about how the genes that drive those rituals are tuned in the brain. Dr. Clowney hypothesizes that the process is one of subtraction. Her studies to date using a fruit fly model suggest that the male brain may result from the removal of neural programs from a \u201cbase model\u201d that is much closer to the female brain, rather than the creation of new programs.<\/p>\n

Key to the process is a fruit fly transcription factor called \u201cFruitless,\u201d a protein created only in male fruit fly brains. In her research, Dr. Clowney will conduct experiments using a variety of techniques to observe the gain or loss of sex-associated circuits and behaviors in animals with or without Fruitless.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Shaul Druckmann, PhD<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA<\/p>\n

How Does the Brain Compute Using Activity Distributed Across Populations and Brain Areas?<\/em><\/p>\n

After decades of research, we still have a limited understanding of how the brain performs computations across regions. This very fundamental question is at the heart of Dr. Druckmann\u2019s work, which takes advantage of the increasing scope and detail of brain activity recording to explore what happens in the brain between stimulus and response, specifically when the response is delayed and short-term memory is engaged.<\/p>\n

Preliminary data show that activity is present and changing across regions and in different neuronal populations in these situations, and Druckmann aims to show that this collective activity is interacting across brain areas and the ways that interactions can \u201cfix\u201d the necessary memories and motion intention, even when a single region or population\u2019s activity might be erroneous. An additional goal of the project is to expand the way researchers work; his project involves intense collaboration with several other researchers, and he hopes to be able to explore both basic science and also pursue clinical applications for his findings.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Laura Lewis, PhD<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, Boston University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston, MA<\/p>\n

Imaging Neural and Fluid Dynamics in the Sleeping Brain<\/em><\/p>\n

Both neural activity and the fluid dynamics of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) change during sleep, with varied consequences \u2013 sensory systems shift away from awareness of external stimuli and towards memory reactivation, and CSF flows into the brain and clears away toxic proteins that build up during waking hours. Intriguingly, the two processes are closely correlated. In her research, Dr. Lewis will investigate the connection between neural and fluid dynamics during sleep and the connection of each to brain health.<\/p>\n

To do so, Dr. Lewis is using innovative methods to observe synchronized, precise neural activity and CSF flow. Her research will explore first how these slow waves are activated in the brain and which neural networks are involved, using auditory stimuli that can enhance slow waves. Second, she will examine the link between these slow waves and CSF flow.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Ashok Litwin-Kumar, PhD<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, Department of Neuroscience and Zuckerman Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY<\/p>\n

Connectome-Constrained Models of Adaptive Behavior<\/em><\/p>\n

In his research, Dr. Litwin-Kumar aims to develop a methodology to bring the worlds of the connectome (wiring diagrams of nervous systems) and functional models of behavior together by developing ways to identify relevant structures within a connectome that can constrain the behavioral models \u2013 for example, by limiting the models so they only use synaptic connections that physically exist in the connectome, rather than making physically impossible leaps between neurons.<\/p>\n

To test and refine this approach, Dr. Litwin-Kumar is first focusing on the connectome of a part of the fruit fly brain. In this part of the brain, sensory inputs are projected to output neurons, which trigger behaviors such as approach or avoidance reactions. The team will seek to efficiently identify structure within the connectome that reflects how information is relayed. Then they will test deep learning models constrained by those connections to see how effectively they predict responses to stimuli, compared to unconstrained models.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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David Schneider, PhD<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, New York University, Center for Neural Science, New York, NY<\/p>\n

Coordinate Transforms in the Mouse Cortex<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Schneider\u2019s work focuses on how motor control and sensory regions of the brain work together in this way and will work to uncover how the brain learns and forms memories that form the basis of what is expected. In his experiments, Dr. Schneider focuses on a conduit connecting a motor control region to an auditory sensory region. Whenever a movement is made, the two regions communicate in a way that tells the auditory system to disregard sound created by that movement.<\/p>\n

These experiments will help identify the role of specific neurons in anticipating sensory responses, how motor control and sensory centers of the brain interact, and how the pathways between the motor and sensory regions change when a new sound becomes \u201cexpected.\u201d Further research will block certain pathways in the brain to determine their role in making predictions, and also see how the brain uses visual input to help anticipate self-generated sounds.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Swathi Yadlapalli, PhD<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, University of Michigan Medical School, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Ann Arbor, MI<\/p>\n

Cellular Mechanisms Controlling Circadian Rhythms<\/em><\/p>\n

Circadian clocks drive many of the rhythms of our biological system, such as when we sleep, wake, how we metabolize, and much more. But exactly what is happening within any given cell to create that rhythm is poorly understood. Previous biochemical and genetic research had identified crucial proteins that are transcription factors, either positive or inhibitory, with a role in circadian rhythms. Dr. Yadlapalli has developed innovative methods of performing single-cell, high-resolution visualization of these proteins and how they interact over a 24-hour period in the living cells of fruit flies for the first time. These methods uncovered the role of one of the key inhibitory transcription factors, called PER, which gathers to form foci evenly distributed around the envelope of the cell nucleus, and play a role in altering the nuclear location of clock genes during the cycle.<\/p>\n

In a series of experiments, Dr. Yadlapalli will determine the mechanisms involved in this process \u2013 how the foci form and where they localize, and how they promote the repression of clock-regulated genes. Understanding more about the working of these fundamental, powerful cellular processes will provide a starting point for research into many sleep and metabolic disorders and neurological diseases.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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2020-2022<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Steven Flavell, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA<\/p>\n

Elucidating Fundamental Mechanisms of Gut-Brain Signaling in C. elegans<\/em><\/p>\n

Little is understood about how the gut and brain interact mechanistically. Dr. Flavell\u2019s research will build on discoveries his lab has made studying the C. elegans<\/em> worm, whose simple and well-defined nervous system can generate relatively complex behaviors that are easily studied in the lab. Dr. Flavell and his team have identified a specific type of enteric neuron (neurons lining the gut) that is only active while C. elegans<\/em> feed on bacteria. His experiments will identify the bacterial signals that activate the neurons, examine the roles of other neurons in gut-brain signaling, and examine how feedback from the brain influences the detection of gut bacteria. This research could open new lines of inquiry into the human microbiome and how it influences human health and disease, including neurological and psychiatric disorders.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Nuo Li, <\/strong>Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX<\/p>\n

Cerebellar Computations during Motor Planning<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Li\u2019s lab has revealed that the anterior lateral motor cortex (ALM, a specific part of the mouse frontal cortex) and the cerebellum are locked in a loop while the mouse is planning an action. Still unknown is exactly what information is being passed back and forth, but it is distinct from the signal that actually drives the muscles. If the connection is disrupted even for an instant during planning, the movement will be made incorrectly.<\/p>\n

Dr. Li\u2019s experiments will uncover the role of the cerebellum in motor planning and define the anatomical structures that link it and the ALM. He will map the cerebellar cortex and find out which populations of a special type of cell used in cerebellar computation, called Purkinje cells, are activated by the ALM in motor planning, and what signals they send back and forth while planning. A second aim will explore what kind of computation the cerebellum is engaged in. Through this work, Dr. Li will learn more about these sophisticated, fundamental brain processes.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Lauren O\u2019Connell, <\/strong>Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA<\/p>\n

Neuronal Basis of Parental Engrams in the Infant Brain<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. O\u2019Connell\u2019s work will help identify how memories are formed in infancy as part of the bonding process, will trace those memory imprints to identify how they affect future decision-making, and will explore the neurological impact of disrupted bonding. In the frogs O\u2019Connell is studying, receiving food and care leads the tadpole to imprint on the parent, which in turn affects the tadpole\u2019s future choice of mate: it will prefer mates that look like the caregiver.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Connell has identified neuronal markers that are enriched in tadpoles that beg for food which are analogous to those implicated in a range of neurological issues related to learning and social behavior in humans. Her research will explore the neuronal architecture involved in infant recognition and bonding with caregivers, as well as brain activity when making mate choices later in life, to see how neuronal activity in each process is related.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Zhaozhou Qiu, <\/strong>Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor of Physiology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD<\/p>\n

Discovering Molecular Identity and Function of Novel Chloride Channels in the Nervous System<\/em><\/p>\n

Much research to date has been focused on ion channels conducting positively-charged ions, such as sodium, potassium and calcium. However, the function of ion channels allowing the passing of chloride, the most abundant negatively-charged ion, remains poorly understood. By performing high-throughput genomics screens, Dr. Qiu and his research team have identified two new families of chloride channels, activated by cell volume increase and acidic pH, respectively. His research aims to investigate the neurological function of these new ion channels with a focus on neuron-glia interactions, synaptic plasticity, and learning and memory. Dr. Qiu will extend this approach to other mysterious chloride channels in the brain. His research will provide key insights into how chloride is regulated in the nervous system.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Maria Antonietta Tosches, <\/strong>Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, Columbia University, New York, NY<\/p>\n

The Evolution of Gene Modules and Circuit Motifs for Cortical Inhibition<\/em><\/p>\n

Modern brains were shaped by a long evolutionary history. Dr. Tosches is conducting research to understand these processes and figure out what fundamental neural systems have been conserved in vertebrate animals separated by hundreds of millions of years of evolution.<\/p>\n

Dr. Tosches is exploring the evolutionary history of GABAergic neurons. Her previous experiments have found the GABAergic neurons of reptiles and mammals are genetically similar, indicating that these neuron types existed already in vertebrate ancestors; they also share gene modules associated with specific neuronal functions in both types of brains. In Tosches\u2019 new research, she will determine if these same neurons types are found in the simple brain of salamanders. This work will introduce a completely new animal model to circuit neuroscience, adding to our understanding of how the brain works at a fundamental level.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Daniel Wacker, <\/strong>Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY<\/p>\n

Accelerating Drug Discovery for Cognitive Disorders through Structural Studies of a Serotonin Receptor<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Wacker proposes a novel approach to drug discovery that focuses in on a specific serotonin receptor known as 5-HT7<\/sub>R (which doesn\u2019t carry the same risks as activating the dopamine system as many drugs do), carefully mapping that receptor\u2019s structure at a molecular scale, and seeking out compounds that will bind to that receptor in a specific way. Dr. Wacker proposes to conduct a structural study of the receptor using X-ray crystallography on purified samples of the receptor. Wacker\u2019s team will then conduct a computerized search of hundreds of millions of compounds, comparing their 3D structure with the 3D model of the receptor for those most likely to \u201cfit.\u201d This computerized process offers the opportunity to essentially pre-screen drugs based on their structure, and speed their development.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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2019-2021<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Jayeeta Basu, Ph.D.<\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>Assistant Professor, Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY<\/p>\n

Cortical Sensory Modulation of Hippocampal Activity and Spatial Representation<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Basu aims to map the circuitry involved between the LEC and specific hippocampal neurons. Her lab will directly\u00a0record the signals received by the thin\u00a0dendrites of the neurons when LEC signals are sent with or without MEC signals, and at different signal strengths. A second series of experiments with mice will test the hypothesis that these LEC inputs support the creation of memories of place while learning \u2013 scent cues will trigger behavior\u00a0to seek rewards at distinct places.\u00a0Researchers will see how switching on or off LEC signals during learning or during recall affect the activation of place cells in the brain\u00a0and the learning behavior itself. This research may be relevant in future studies of Alzheimer\u2019s disease, PTSD and other conditions where memory and contextual \u201ctriggers\u201d are activated.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Juan Du, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Assistant Professor, Structural Biology Program, Center for Cancer and Cell Biology, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI<\/p>\n

Regulation mechanism of thermosensitive receptors in nervous system<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Du will conduct a three-part project to unlock the secrets of how temperature information is received and processed by the neural system. She is looking at three particular receptors, one that detects cool and cold temperatures externally, one that detects extreme external heat, and one that detects warm temperatures in the brain (for regulating body temperature.) She will first identify purification conditions for these receptors so they can be extracted and used in lab experiments and still operate the same as receptors in the body.<\/p>\n

A second aim is to see what structures on the receptors are activated by temperature and understanding how they work. This will also include the development of new therapeutics that can bind to these structures and regulate them. Third, when the structures are understood, validation experiments in which the receptors are mutated to change or remove temperature sensitivity will be conducted, first on cells, and then in mice, to see how alterations to temperature-sensitive receptors impact behavior.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Mark Harnett, Ph.D.<\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>Assistant Professor, Brain and Cognitive Sciences,\u00a0<\/strong>Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA<\/p>\n

Perturbing Dendritic Compartmentalization to Evaluate Single Neuron Cortical Computations<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Harnett is looking at dendrites in the visual system with precise electrical and optical tools, to measure how signals travel down dendrite branches, and measure how altering the dendrites changes how the neuron operates. These perturbations will allow Dr. Harnett to test if inhibiting signals on a specific branch of a dendrite changes how the neural network responds to certain visual stimuli. Learning that a single neuron is essentially made up of its own network of smaller signal processors would change our understanding of how the brain computes. Among other things, this could affect how artificial intelligence, which is modelled on neural networks, evolves in years to come.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Weizhe Hong, Ph.D.<\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>Assistant Professor, Departments of Biological Chemistry and Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA<\/p>\n

Neural Circuit Mechanisms of Maternal Behavior<\/em><\/p>\n

A particular focus of Dr. Hong\u2019s work will be investigating the role of an evolutionarily conserved brain region called the amygdala in controlling parenting behavior. While female mice usually engage in extensive pup nurturing behaviors, male mice generally do not show parenting behavior until their own offspring are born.<\/p>\n

The research will identify specific, molecularly defined neuronal populations that mediate parenting behavior. The research will also compare the neural circuits in males and females to understand how neural activity in these neurons regulates parenting behavior. This research will provide key insights into the neural basis of an essential social behavior and the basic principles governing sexually dimorphic behaviors.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Rachel Roberts-Galbraith, Ph.D.<\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>Assistant Professor, Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA<\/p>\n

Regeneration of the Central Nervous System in Planarians<\/em><\/p>\n

By studying successful neural regeneration in the natural world, Dr. Roberts-Galbraith hopes to learn details about the mechanism of neural regeneration and the role of different cells. One aim is to investigate whether neurons can detect injury and self-initiate repairs themselves by sending signals that trigger and direct regrowth. Dr. Roberts-Galbraith hypothesizes that neurons influence planarian stem cells, which are recruited to regrow parts of the central nervous system (and other body parts). Fine control of stem cells is critical for regeneration, as planarians faithfully replace missing tissues and never develop tumors.<\/p>\n

Another aim is to examine the role of glial cells, which have traditionally been seen as the glue of the nervous system but which clearly possess more significant roles than previously recognized. Glial cells make up a large part of animals\u2019 nervous systems and must be regenerated along with neurons; they are also likely to modulate neuronal regeneration. The hope is this research will provide more understanding of how regeneration can happen in the most successful cases, and perhaps inform new ways of thinking about neural regeneration in humans.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Shigeki Watanabe, Ph.D.<\/a>,\u00a0<\/strong>Assistant Professor of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD<\/p>\n

Mechanistic Insights into Membrane Remodeling at Synapses<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Watanabe will use a technique called flash-and-freeze electron microscopy to research this process. Neurons will be stimulated with light \u2013 the flash \u2013 then the process will be stopped precisely with high-pressure freezing at precise time intervals microseconds after stimulation. The frozen synapses can then be visualized with an electron microscope. By taking a series of images frozen at different time intervals after stimulation, Dr. Watanabe will create a step-by-step visualization of the process and identify the proteins involved and what they do. Not only will this give a better understanding of how neurons work, it has implications for diseases that are related to faulty neural transmission, such as Alzheimer\u2019s Disease.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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2018-2020<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Eiman Azim, Ph.D.,<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>Assistant Professor, Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory,<\/p>\n

Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA<\/p>\n

Spinal Circuits Controlling Dexterous Forelimb Movement<\/em><\/p>\n

Dexterous movements of our arms, hands and fingers are fundamental to our everyday interactions with the world, but science is just starting to scratch the surface of understanding how specific neural circuits control the precision, speed and fidelity of these impressive motor behaviors. Dr. Azim\u2019s laboratory at the Salk Institute is at the forefront of this field, deploying a multidisciplinary approach aimed at dissecting the molecular, anatomical and functional diversity of motor pathways one element at a time. Taking advantage of recent advances in machine learning, computer vision technology and molecular-genetic tools, the Azim Lab aims to develop more standardized, unbiased, high-throughput approaches to piecing together the neural underpinnings of movement–especially skilled motions like goal-directed reaching and grasping. His findings could help to clarify how disease or injury disrupts the normal execution of movement, paving the way for improved diagnosis and treatment.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Rudy Behnia, Ph.D.<\/strong>,<\/a> Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, Columbia University-Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, New York, NY<\/p>\n

State-dependent Neuromodulation of a Circuit for Motion Vision<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Behnia studies the dynamic processes devoted to vision, exploring how the brain\u2019s visual system drives behaviors and helps animals and humans survive and thrive in complex environments teeming with sensory stimuli. Using the fruit fly model system, Behnia\u2019s laboratory investigates how animals perceive and adapt their behavior to changing environments through a variety of complementary techniques, including in vivo<\/em> single cell patch-clamp recordings, two-photon activity-imaging, optogenetic and behavioral paradigms. A particular focus of Dr. Behnia\u2019s McKnight-funded work will be exploring how internal states such as attention alter the brain\u2019s sensitivity to certain stimuli, research that could shed new light on the role neuromodulators play in changing the function of neural circuits. This research may also reveal new targets for therapeutic strategies for disorders such as depression and ADHD.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Felice Dunn, Ph.D., <\/strong><\/a>Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco<\/p>\n

The Establishment and Regulation of Rod and Cone Vision<\/em><\/p>\n

Dr. Dunn\u2019s research is focused on finding out how visual information is parsed and processed in the retinal circuit, knowledge that could open new avenues for restoring lost vision. While many retinal diseases that lead to vision loss or blindness begin with the degeneration of photoreceptors, how disease progresses to affect postsynaptic neurons is still largely unknown. In her lab, Dunn deploys temporally-controlled transgenic ablation of photoreceptors, functional recordings and imaging of single cells, and gene-editing methods\u00a0to investigate the retina\u2019s remaining cells and synapses. Her work will help to uncover how the remaining circuit changes its structure and function in a degenerating retina, and may help reveal potential therapies to halt or prevent the loss of vision.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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John Tuthill, Ph.D., <\/strong><\/a>Assistant Professor, Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle<\/p>\n

Proprioceptive Feedback Control of Locomotion in Drosophila<\/em><\/p>\n

Proprioception–the body\u2019s sense of self-movement and position–is critical, for the effective control of movement, yet little is known about how the brain\u2019s motor circuits integrate this feedback to guide future movements. Dr. Tuthill\u2019s lab is working to unlock the essence of motor learning in the brain by investigating how walking fruit flies learn to avoid obstacles and navigate unpredictable environments, assessing the role of sensory feedback in motor control by optogenetically manipulating proprioceptor activity. A deeper understanding of proprioceptive feedback control has the potential to transform the way in which we understand and treat movement disorders.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Mingshan Xue, Ph.D.,<\/a> <\/strong>Assistant Professor, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX<\/p>\n

Function and Mechanism of Input-specific Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity In Vivo<\/em><\/p>\n

Navigating complex environments and changing internal states, the healthy brain maintains a constant balance between excitation and inhibition (often characterized as E\/I ratio) that\u2019s remarkably stable. \u00a0How does the brain maintain this balance? Dr. Xue\u2019s laboratory will explore this question, combining molecular, genetic, electrophysiological, optogenetic, imaging, and anatomical approaches to determine whether homeostatic plasticity regulates synapses in an input-specific manner in vivo, thereby maintaining neuronal activity levels and functional response properties. Gaining a deeper understanding of how the normal brain copes with perturbations can pave the way for interventions to treat neurological diseases that disrupt the brain\u2019s natural balance.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Brad Zuchero, Ph.D., <\/strong><\/a>Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA<\/p>\n

Mechanisms of Myelin Membrane Growth and Wrapping<\/em><\/p>\n

The loss of myelin\u2014the fatty electrical insulator around neuronal axons\u2014can cause severe motor and cognitive disabilities in patients with multiple sclerosis and other diseases of the central nervous system. Building a \u201ctextbook model\u201d of the complex mechanisms that drive myelin formation is now the goal of Dr. Zuchero\u2019s research lab at Stanford University. Combining innovative approaches including super-resolution microscopy, genome editing with CRISPR\/Cas, and novel genetic cytoskeletal tools devised in his own lab, Zuchero\u2019s team will investigate how and why myelin wrapping requires the dramatic disassembly of the oligodendrocyte actin cytoskelton, a process that may reveal new targets or treatment paths for myelin regeneration and repair.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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2017-2019<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Martha Bagnall, Ph.D.<\/a><\/strong>, Assistant Professor of Neuroscience,\u00a0<\/b>Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine<\/p>\n

Sensory and motor computations underlying postural control\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

Posture is crucial to normal function, but little is known about how the brain successfully routes sensory signals about orientation, movement and gravity through the spinal cord to keep the body \u201cright side up.\u201d Dr. Bagnall\u2019s lab studies how animals maintain posture by focusing on the vestibular system of the zebrafish, a model organism with a spinal cord remarkably similar to limbed mammals. In early development, the spinal cords of larval zebrafish are transparent, providing researchers a valuable glimpse at the diverse populations of neurons activated during different types of movements. By learning more about how these distinct premotor pathways are recruited during postural behaviors\u2014allowing animals to adjust to changes in roll and pitch\u2014Bagnall\u2019s research may reveal new discoveries about the complex neural connections that govern equivalent behavior in humans. Her work could also inform the development of devices that can help people regain their balance and posture, and improve the lives of people whose balance has been impaired by injury or disease.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Stephen Brohawn, Ph.D.,<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Assistant Professor of Neurobiology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley<\/p>\n

Mechanisms of biological force sensation<\/i><\/p>\n

Dr. Brohawn studies life\u2019s electrical system from a molecular and biophysical perspective, with a focus on finding the answer to the question \u201cHow do we feel?\u201d\u00a0<\/i>\u00a0The nervous system\u2019s capacity to sense mechanical force is one of the foundations of hearing and balance, but science hasn\u2019t yet revealed the protein machinery that converts mechanical forces into electrical signals. Using a range of approaches from X-ray crystallography to cryo-electron microscopy, Brohawn\u2019s lab takes a \u201cbottom up\u201d approach to the question, capturing atomic resolution snapshots of the membrane proteins when at rest and under force. Gaining an understanding of how hearing and balance work on a detailed molecular level may someday form the basis for new therapies to improve the lives of individuals who\u2019ve experienced auditory or vestibular loss of function.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Mehrdad Jazayeri, Ph.D.,<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Assistant Professor, Massachusetts Institute of Technology\/McGovern Institute of Brain Research<\/p>\n

Thalamocortical mechanisms of flexible motor timing<\/i><\/p>\n

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Dr. Jazayeri studies how the brain keeps track of time by investigating the neural dynamics that allow us to anticipate, measure, and reproduce time intervals. From making conversation, to learning music, to playing a sport, timing is critical to cognitive and motor function, but the underlying computational principles and neural mechanisms of timing remain largely unknown. To explore this important building block of cognition, Jazayeri taught monkeys to reproduce time intervals, as if keeping the beat in music\u2014an approach he continues to develop as his research lab works to uncover the neural basis of sensorimotor integration, a key component of deliberation and probabilistic reasoning. His research could advance our understanding of the cognitive flexibility that allows us to pay attention, adapt to new information, and make inferences, while identifying major targets for a variety of cognitive disorders.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Katherine Nagel, Ph.D.,<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Assistant Professor, New York University School of Medicine\/Neuroscience Institute<\/p>\n

Neural mechanisms underlying olfactory search behavior in drosophila melanogaster<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dr. Nagel explores how fruit flies combine sensory information to find their way to food\u2013-a simple behavior that may shed new light on the complex neural circuitry that allows the brain to turn sensations into action. A model organism with a simple brain and a complex capacity to make \u201cdecisions on the wing,\u201d fruit flies turn upwind when they meet the fluctuating plume of an attractive odor, and search downwind when the odor is lost. To find a food source, flies must integrate olfactory, mechanical, and visual inputs, and transform these inputs into meaningful spatial decisions.\u00a0 Nagel\u2019s lab uses quantitative behavioral analysis, electrophysiology, genetic manipulations, and computational modeling to discover how this integration works at a single cell level, shedding light on one of the brain\u2019s most ancient guidance systems.\u00a0One of the principal investigators in a National Science Foundation initiative called \u201cCracking the Olfactory Code,\u201d Nagel\u2019s research may advance neuroscience in new directions, from revealing more about how the human brain computes in space and time, to helping inform the future development of olfactory robots.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Matthew Pecot, Ph.D.,<\/strong>\u00a0Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School<\/p>\n

Defining the transcriptional logic underlying neural network assembly in the Drosophila visual system\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n

The precision with which neurons form synaptic connections is fundamental to animal behavior, yet how neurons identify correct synaptic partners amidst the staggering cellular complexity of the nervous system is unclear. To identify molecular principles underlying synaptic specificity the Pecot lab studies neural connectivity in the fly visual system, which comprises well-defined genetically accessible neuron types with known patterns of synaptic connectivity. Based on their research, they propose that correct synaptic partners express a common master regulator protein which controls the expression of molecules that instruct their synaptic connectivity. Ensuring that neurons destined to form connections express the same master regulator may provide a simple strategy for establishing precise neural connections. With a growing body of evidence identifying defects in neural connectivity as a driver in neurological disease, Dr. Pecot\u2019s research could inspire therapeutic strategies focused on rewiring damaged neural circuits in affected individuals.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Michael Yartsev, Ph.D.,<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Bioengineering Assistant Professor, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley<\/p>\n

Neurobiological basis of vocal production learning in the developing mammalian brain<\/i><\/p>\n

Language lies at the heart of what it means to be human. We possess a capacity for vocal learning that we share with just a few mammalian species. Dr. Yartsev is embarking on the first detailed investigation of vocal production learning in the mammalian brain, using Egyptian fruit bats to help answer the question of what it is about our brains that allows us to learn language. Using such novel technologies as wireless neural recording, optogenetics, imaging and anatomical mapping, Yartsev and the team hope to decipher the neural mechanisms that underlie the brain\u2019s ability to acquire language. Yartsev\u2019s work could also yield new insights into childhood speech delays, aphasia, and other language loss and development disorders.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2016-2018<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Mark Andermann, Ph.D.<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0Assistant Professor of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School<\/p>\n

A pathway for hunger modulation of learned food cue responses in insular cortex<\/i><\/p>\n

Dr. Andermann\u2019s research addresses the ways the brain notices and acts upon images relating to food, especially when an individual is hungry. His work is driven by the urgent societal need to develop comprehensive therapies for obesity. Humans pay attention to the things their bodies tell them they need. Over-attention to food cues, which results in seeking more food than is needed, can persist in individuals suffering from obesity or eating disorders, even when satiated. Andermann\u2019s lab developed a\u00a0method involving\u00a0two-photon calcium imaging through a periscope\u00a0to study hundreds of neurons in a mouse brain, and found that the brain\u2019s response to images associated with food differed depending on whether the mouse was hungry or sated.\u00a0The Andermann lab is collaborating with Dr. Brad Lowell’s lab\u2014experts in the brain circuitry controlling hunger\u2014to study the insular cortex in search of ways to prevent cravings for the wrong foods in obese subjects.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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John Cunningham, Ph.D.,<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Assistant Professor, Department of Statistics, Columbia University<\/p>\n

The computational structure of populations of neurons in the motor cortex<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Dr. Cunningham\u2019s primary research mission is to advance the scientific understanding of the neural basis of complex behaviors. For example, better understanding the brain\u2019s role in generating voluntary movements can potentially help millions of people with motor impairments due to disease and injury. Cunningham is part of a small but growing field of statisticians applying statistical and machine learning techniques to neuroscience research. He\u00a0combines aspects of mathematics, statistics, and computer science to extract meaningful insights from massive datasets\u00a0generated in experiments. He aims to bridge the gap between data recording and scientific payoff, seeking to create analytical tools he and other researchers can harness. Analysis methods capable of handling the massive datasets generated are essential to the field, particularly as researchers record evermore data of increasing complexity.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Roozbeh Kiani, M.D., Ph.D.,<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0Assistant Professor, New York University, Center for Neural Science<\/p>\n

Hierarchical decision processes that operate over distinct time scales underlie choice and changes in strategy<\/i><\/p>\n

Dr. Kiani is researching how adaptive behavior occurs in decision making.\u00a0Decisions are guided by available information and strategies that link information to action. Following a bad outcome, two potential sources of error\u2014flawed strategy and poor information\u2014must be distinguished to improve future performance. This process depends on interaction of several cortical and subcortical areas that collectively represent sensory information, retrieve relevant memories, and plan and execute desired actions. Dr. Kiani\u2019s research focuses on the neuronal mechanisms that implement these processes, especially how sources of information are integrated, how relevant information is selected and routed flexibly from one brain area to another, and how the decision-making process gives rise to subjective beliefs about anticipated outcomes. His research could have long-term implications for the study of\u00a0neurological\u00a0disorders that disrupt\u00a0decision-making processes such as schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Yuki Oka, Ph.D.<\/a>,<\/strong>\u00a0Assistant Professor of Biology, California Institute of Technology<\/p>\n

Peripheral and Central Mechanisms of Body Fluid Regulation<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Dr. Oka\u2019s lab studies neural mechanisms underlying body fluid homeostasis, the fundamental function that regulates the balance between water and salt in the body. His team aims to understand how peripheral and central signals regulate water drinking behavior. Toward this goal, his research team will combine physiology and neural manipulation tools to define the specific brain circuits that play an essential role in controlling thirst. They will then examine how the activities of those circuits are modulated by external water signals. His work could have significant implications for new clinical treatments of appetite-related disorders.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Abigail Person, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Assistant Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Denver<\/p>\n

Circuit mechanisms of cerebellar motor correction<\/i><\/p>\n

Movement is central to all behaviors, yet the brain\u2019s motor control centers are barely understood. Dr. Person\u2019s work explores how the brain makes movements precise. Person\u2019s lab is particularly interested in an ancient part of the brain called the cerebellum, asking how its signals correct ongoing motor commands. The cerebellum has been particularly attractive for circuit analysis because its layers and cell types are very well defined. However, its output structures, called the cerebellar nuclei, violate this rule and are much more heterogeneous and hence, much more confusing. Using a variety of physiological, optogenetic, anatomical and behavioral techniques, her research aims to untangle the mix of signals in the nuclei to interpret how it contributes to motor control. Person anticipates that her research may offer clinicians insight into therapeutic strategies for people with cerebellar disease, and could potentially contribute to the class of technologies that use neural signals to control prosthetic limbs.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Wei Wei, Ph.D.,<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Assistant Professor of Neurobiology, University of Chicago<\/p>\n

Dendritic processing of visual motion in the retina<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Dr. Wei\u2019s research seeks to understand the neural mechanisms of motion detection in the retina. The earliest stage of visual processing by the brain occurs in the retina, the place where photons from the physical world are transformed into neural signals in the eye. Much more than a camera, the retina functions like a little computer that begins to process visual inputs into multiple streams of information before relaying them to higher visual centers in the brain. By current estimates there are more than 30 neural circuits in the retina, each computing a different feature, such as aspects of motion, color and contrast. Dr. Wei\u2019s lab is using patterns of light to study how the retina determines the direction of image motion. Her work will uncover the rules of visual processing at the subcellular and synaptic level, and provide insights into the general principles of neural computation by the brain.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2015-2017<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Susanne Ahmari<\/strong><\/a>, University of Pittsburgh\u00a0
\nIdentifying Neural Circuit Changes Underlying OCD-related Behaviors<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Marlene Cohen<\/strong><\/a>, University of Pittsburgh
\nCausal and Correlative Tests of the Hypothesis that the Neuronal Mechanisms Underlying Attention Involve Interactions between Cortical Areas\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Daniel Dombeck<\/strong><\/a>, Northwestern University
\n<\/b>Functional Dynamics, Organization and Plasticiity of Place Cell Dendritic Spines\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Surya Ganguli<\/strong><\/a>, Stanford University
\nFrom Neural data to Neurobiological Understanding through High Dimensional Statistics and Theory<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Gaby Maimon<\/strong><\/a>, Rockefeller University
\nNeuronal Basis for the Internal Initiation of Action<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Kay Tye<\/strong><\/a>, Massachusetts Institute of Technology\u00a0
\nDeconstructing the Distributed Neural Mechanisms in Emotional Valence Processing<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2014-2016<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Jessica Cardin<\/strong><\/a>, Yale University
\nMechanisms of State-Dependent Cortical Regulation<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Robert Froemke<\/strong>, NYU School of Medicine
\nNeural Circuitry and Plasticity for Control of Mammalian Social Behavior<\/i><\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Ryan Hibbs<\/strong>, UT Southwestern Medical Center
\nStructure and Mechanism of Neuronal Acetylcholine Receptors<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Jeremy Kay<\/strong><\/a>, Duke University
\nAssembly of Retinal Direction-Selective Circuitry<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Takaki Komiyama<\/strong><\/a>, UC San Diego\u00a0<\/u>
\nMotor Cortex Plasticity in Motor Learning<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Ilana Witten<\/strong><\/a>, Princeton University
\nDeconstructing Working Memory: Dopamine Neurons and Their Target Circuits\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2013-2015<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Hillel Adesnik<\/strong><\/a>, University of California-Berkeley
\nOptically Probing the Neural Basis of Perception<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Mark Churchland<\/strong><\/a>, Columbia University
\nThe Neural Substrate of Voluntary Movement Initiation<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Elissa Hallem<\/strong><\/a>, University of California – Los Angeles
\nFunctional Organization of Sensory Circuits in C.Elegans<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Andrew Huberman<\/strong><\/a>, University of California – San Diego
\nTrans-Synaptic Circuits for Processing Directional Motion<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Dayu Lin<\/strong><\/a> – NYU Langone Medical Center
\nThe Circuit Mechanism of Lateral Septum Mediated Aggression Modulation<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Nicole Rust<\/strong><\/a> – University of Pennsylvania
\nThe Neural Mechanisms Responsible for Identifying Objects and Finding Targets<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2012-2014<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Anne Churchland<\/strong>, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
\nNeural Circuits for Multisensory Decision-Making<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Patrick Drew<\/strong><\/a>, Pennsylvania State University
\nImaging Neurovascular Coupling in the Behaving Animal<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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David Freedman<\/strong><\/a>, University of Chicago
\nNeuronal Mechanisms of Visual Categorization and Decision Making<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Mala Murthy<\/strong><\/a>, Princeton University
\nNeural Mechanisms Underlying Acoustic Communication in Drosophila<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Jonathan Pillow<\/strong><\/a>, University of Texas at Austin
\nDeciphering Cortical Representations at the Level of Spikes, Currents, and Conductances<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Vanessa Ruta<\/strong><\/a>, Rockefeller University
\nThe Functional Organization of the Neural Circuits Underlying Olfactory Learning\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2011-2013<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Adam Carter, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, New York University
\nSynapse Specificity in Striatal Circuits<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Sandeep Robert Datta, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Harvard Medical School
\nNeural Mechanisms Underlying Sensory-Driven Behaviors<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Qing Fan, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Columbia University
\nMolecular Mechanism of Metabotropic GABA Receptor Function<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Ila Fiete, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, University of Texas, Austin
\nCortical Error-Correction for Near-Exact Computation<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Winrich Freiwald, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Rockefeller University
\nFrom Face Recognition to Social Cognition<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Nathaniel Sawtell, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Columbia University
\nMechanisms for Sensory Prediction in Cerebellar Circuits\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2010-2012<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Anatol C. Kreitzer, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, J. David Gladstone Institutes
\nFunction and Dysfunction of Basal Ganglia Circuits In Vivo<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Seok-Yong Lee, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Duke University Medical Center
\nStructure and pharmacology of sodium channel voltage sensors<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Stavros Lomvardas, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, University of California
\nMolecular mechanisms of olfactory receptor choice<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Song-Hai Shi, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
\nClonal production and organization of interneurons in the mammalian neocortex<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Andreas S. Tolias, Ph.D.<\/strong><\/a>, Baylor College of Medicine
\nThe functional organization of the cortical microcolumn\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2009-2011<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Diana Bautista, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California Berkeley
\nMolecular and Cellular Mechanisms of Mammalian Touch and Pain<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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James Bisley, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California Los Angeles
\nThe Role of Posterior Parietal Cortex in Guiding Attention and Eye Movements<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Nathaniel Daw, Ph.D.<\/strong>, New York University
\nDecision Making in Structured, Sequential Tasks: Combining Computational, Behavioral, and Neuroscientific Approaches<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Alapakkam Sampath, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Southern California
\nThe Role of Optimal Processing in Setting Sensory Threshold<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Tatyana Sharpee, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Salk Institute for Biological Studies
\nDiscrete Representation of Visual Shapes in the Brain<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Kausik Si, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stowers Institute for Medical Research
\nRole of Prion-like Molecule in Persistence of Memory\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2008-2010<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Jeremy Dasen, Ph.D.<\/strong>, New York University School of Medicine
\nMechanisms of Synaptic Specificity in the Vertebrate Spinal Cord<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Wesley Grueber, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Columbia University Medical Center
\nDendritic Field Patterning by Attractive and Repulsive Cues<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Greg Horwitz, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Washington
\nMagnocellular Contributions to Color Processing<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Coleen Murphy, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Princeton University
\nMolecular Characterization of Long-Term Memory Maintenance with Age<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Bence Olveczky, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard University
\nFunctional Organization of Neural Circuits Underlying Sensorimotor Learning<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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\n\t\t\t

Liam Paninski, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Columbia University
\nUsing Advanced Statistical Techniques to Decipher Population Codes<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Bijan Pesaran, Ph.D.<\/strong>, New York University
\nDeciding Where to Look and Where to Reach\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2007-2009<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Stephen A. Baccus, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University Medical School
\nFunctional Circuitry of Neural Coding in the Retina<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Karl A. Deisseroth, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University Medical School
\nMulti-Channel Fast Optical Interrogation of Living Neural Circuitry<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Gilbert Di Paolo, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Columbia University Medical Center
\nA Novel Approach for Rapid Chemically-Induced Modulation of PIP2 Metabolism at the Synapse<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Adrienne Fairhall, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Washington
\nIntrinsic Contributions to Adaptive Computation and Gain Control<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Maurice A. Smith, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard University
\nA Computational Model of Interacting Adaptive Processes to Explain Properties of Short- and Long-term Motor Learning<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Fan Wang, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Duke University Medical Center
\nMolecular and Genetic Analyses of Mammalian Touch Sensation<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Rachel Wilson, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nThe Biophysical and Molecular Basis of Central Synaptic Transmission in Drosophila\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2006-2008<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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\n\t\t\t

Thomas Clandinin, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University Medical School
\nHow are Salient Visual Cues Captured by Changes in Neuronal Activity?<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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James DiCarlo, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
\nNeuronal Mechanisms Underlying Object Recognition During Natural Viewing<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Florian Engert, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard University
\nThe Neuronal Basis of Visually Induced Behavior in the Larval Zebrafish<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Youxing Jiang, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center
\nMolecular Mechanisms of Ion Selectivity in CNG Channels<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Tirin Moore, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University Medical School
\nMechanisms of Visuospatial Attention and Working Memory<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Hongjun Song, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
\nMechanisms Regulating Synaptic Integration of Newly Generated Neurons in the Adult Brain<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Elke Stein, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Yale University
\nConverting Netrin-1-Mediated Attraction to Repulsion through Intracellular Crosstalk\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2005-2007<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Athanossios Siapas, Ph.D.<\/strong>, California Institute of Technology
\nCortico-Hippocampal Interactions and Memory Formation<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Nirao Shah, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Francisco
\nRepresentation of Sexually Dimorphic Behaviors in the Brain<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Aravinthan Samuel, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard University
\nA Biophysical Approach to Worm Behavioral Neuroscience<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Bernardo Sabatini, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nSynaptic Regulation by Neuromodulatory Systems<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Miriam Goodman, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University
\nUnderstanding the Force-Sensing Machinery of Touch Receptor Neurons<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Matteo Carandini, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute
\nDynamics of Population Response in Visual Cortex\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

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2004-2006<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Ricardo Dolmetsch, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University
\nFunctional Analysis of the Calcium Channel Proteome<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Loren Frank, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Francisco
\nThe Neural Correlates of Learning in the Hippocampal – Cortical Circuit<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Rachelle Gaudet, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard University
\nStructural Studies of Temperature-sensing TRP Ion Channels<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Z. Josh Huang, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
\nMolecular Mechanisms Underlying the Subcellular Targeting of GABAergic Synapses<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Kang Shen, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University
\nUnderstanding the Molecular Code for Target Specificity in Synapse Formation<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

David Zenisek, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Yale University
\nInvestigation of the Role of the Synaptic Ribbon in Exocytosis\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

2003-2005<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Michael Brainard, Ph.D.<\/strong> University of California, San Francisco
\nBehavioral and Neural Mechanisms of Plasticity in Adult Birdsong<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Joshua Gold, Ph.D.<\/strong> University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
\nThe Neural Basis of Decisions that Flexibly Link Sensation and Action<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Jacqueline Gottlieb, Ph.D.<\/strong> Columbia University
\nNeural Substrates of Vision and Attention in Monkey Posterior Parietal Cortex<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Zhigang He, Ph.D.<\/strong> Children’s Hospital
\nExploring the Mechanisms of Axon Regeneration Failure in the Adult Control Nervous System<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Kristin Scott, Ph.D.<\/strong> University of California, Berkeley
\nTaste Representations in the Drosophila Brain\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

2002-2004<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Aaron DiAntonio, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Washington University
\nGenetic Analysis of Synaptic Growth<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Marla Feller, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Diego
\nHomeostatic Regulation of Spontaneous Activity in the Developing Mammalian Retina<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Bharathi Jagadeesh, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Washington
\nPlasticity of Object and Scene Selective Neurons in the Primate Inferotemporal Cortex<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Bingwei Lu, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Rockefeller University
\nA Genetic Approach to Neural Stem Cell Behavior<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Philip Sabes, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Francisco
\nThe Neural Mechanisms and Computational Principles of Visuomotor Adaptation in Reaching<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

W. Martin Usrey, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, Davis
\nFunctional Dynamics of Feedforward and Feedback Pathways for Vision\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

2001-2003<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Daniel Feldman, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Diego
\nSynaptic Basis for Whisker Map Plasticity in Rat Barrel Cortex<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Kelsey Martin, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, Los Angeles
\nCommunication Between the Synapse and the Nucleus During Long-lasting Synaptic Plasticity<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Daniel Minor, Jr., Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Francisco
\nHigh-resolution Studies of Ion Channel Regulation<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

John Reynolds, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
\nNeural Mechanisms of Visual Feature Integration<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Leslie Vosshall, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Rockefeller University
\nThe Molecular Biology of Odor Recognition in Drosophila<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Anthony Wagner, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
\nMechanisms of Memory Formation: Prefrontal Contributions to Episodic Encoding\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

2000-2002<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

John Assad, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nLong- and Short-term Memory Effects on the Encoding of Visual Motion in Parietal Cortex<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Eduardo Chichilnisky, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
\nColor and Motion Perception: Ensemble Signaling by Identified Cell Types in Primate Retina<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Frank Gertler, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
\nRole of Cytoskeletal Regulatory Proteins in Axon Outgrowth and Guidance<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Jeffry Isaacson, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Diego
\nSynaptic Mechanisms of Central Olfactory Circuits<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Richard Krauzlis, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
\nCoordination of Voluntary Eye Movements by the Superior Colliculus<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

H. Sebastian Seung, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
\nMemory and Multistability in Biological Networks<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Jian Yang, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Columbia University
\nPotassium Channel Permeation and Gating Studied with Novel Backbone Mutations\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1999-2001<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Michael Ehlers, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Duke University Medical Center
\nMolecular Regulation of NMDA Receptors<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Jennifer Raymond, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University School of Medicine
\nIn Vivo Physiological Analysis of Mutations that Affect Cerebellum-dependent Learning<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Fred Rieke, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Washington
\nGain Control and Feature Selectivity of Retinal Ganglion Cells<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Henk Roelink, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Washington
\nSonic Hedgehog Signal Transduction in Brain Malformations Induced by Cyclopamine<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Alexander Schier, Ph.D.<\/strong>, New York University School of Medicine
\nMechanisms of Forebrain Patterning<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Paul Slesinger, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
\nIdentification of Molecular Interactions Involved in the G Protein Regulation of Potassium Channels<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Michael Weliky, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Rochester
\nThe Role of Correlated Neuronal Activity in Visual Cortical Development<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1998-2000<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Paul Garrity, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
\nAxon Targeting in the Drosophila Visual System<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Jennifer Groh, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Dartmouth College
\nNeural Coordinate Transformations<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Phyllis Hanson, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Washington University School of Medicine
\nThe Role of Molecular Chaperones in Presynaptic Function<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Eduardo Perozo, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Virginia School of Medicine
\nHigh-resolution Structural Studies of the K+ Channel Pore<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Wendy Suzuki, Ph.D.<\/strong>, New York University
\nSpatial Functions of the Macaque Parahippocampal Cortex<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1997-1999<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Ulrike I. Gaul, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Rockefeller University
\nCellular and Molecular Aspects of Axon Guidance in a Simple in Vivo System<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Liqun Luo, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University School of Medicine
\nMolecular Mechanisms of Dendrite Development: Studies of GTPases Rac and Cdc42<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Mark Mayford, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Diego
\nRegulated Genetic Control of Synaptic Plasticity, Learning, and Memory<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Peter Mombaerts, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Rockefeller University
\nMechanisms of Axon Guidance in the Olfactory System<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Samuel L. Pfaff, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
\nMolecular Control of Vertebrate Motor Neuron Axon Targeting<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

David Van Vactor, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nAnalysis of Genes that Control Motor Axon Guidance in Drosophila<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1996-1998<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Paul W. Glimcher, Ph.D.<\/strong>, New York University
\nNeurobiological Basis of Selective Attention<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Ali Hemmati-Brivanlou, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Rockefeller University
\nMolecular Aspects of Vertebrate Neurogenesis<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Donald C. Lo, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Duke University Medical Center
\nNeurotrophin Regulation of Synaptic Plasticity<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Earl K. Miller, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
\nIntegrated Functions of Prefrontal Cortex<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Tito A. Serafini, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, Berkeley
\nIsolation and Characterization of Growth Cone Targeting Molecules<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Jerry C.P. Yin, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
\nCREB Phosphorylation and the Formation of Long-term Memory in Drosophila<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1995-1997<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Toshinori Hoshi, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Iowa
\nGating Mechanisms of Voltage-dependent Potassium Channels<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Alex L. Kolodkin, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
\nMolecular Mechanisms of Growth Cone Guidance: Semaphorin Function During Neurodevelopment<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Michael L. Nonet, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Washington University School of Medicine
\nGenetic Analysis of Neuromuscular Junction Development<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Mani Ramaswami, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Arizona
\nGenetic Analysis of Presynaptic Mechanisms<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Michael N. Shadlen, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Washington
\nSensory Integration and Working Memory<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Alcino J. Silva, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
\nCellular Mechanisms Supporting Memory Formation in Mice<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1994-1996<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Rita J. Balice-Gordon, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Pennsylvania
\nActivity Dependent and Independent Mechanisms Underlying Synapse Formation and Maintenance<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Mark K. Bennett, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, Berkeley
\nRegulation of the Synaptic Vesicle Docking and Fusion Machinery by Protein Phosphorylation<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

David S. Bredt, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Francisco
\nPhysiologic Functions of Nitric Oxide in Developing and Regenerating Neurons<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

David J. Linden, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
\nCellular Substrates of Information Storage in the Cerebellum<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Richard D. Mooney, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Duke University Medical Center
\nCellular Mechanisms of Avian Vocal Learning and Memory<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Charles J. Weitz, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nMolecular Biology of the Mammalian Circadian Pacemaker<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1993-1995<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Ben Barres, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University School of Medicine
\nDevelopment and Function of Glia<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Allison J. Doupe, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Francisco
\nA Neural Circuit Specialized for Vocal Learning in Songbirds<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Ehud Y. Isacoff, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, Berkeley
\nMolecular Studies on K+ Channel Phosphorylation in Vertebrate Central Neurons<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Susan K. McConnell, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University School of Medicine
\nIsolation of Layer-specific Genes from Mammalian Cerebral Cortex<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

John J. Ngai, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, Berkeley
\nAnalysis of the Topography of Specific Olfactory Neurons and the Coding of Olfactory Information<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Wade G. Regehr, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nThe Role of Presynaptic Calcium in Plasticity at Central Synapses<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1992-1994<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Ethan Bier, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Diego
\nMolecular Genetics of Neurogenesis<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Linda D. Buck, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nNeuronal Identity and Information Coding in the Mammalian Olfactory System<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Gian Garriga, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, Berkeley
\nCell Interactions in the Outgrowth of the C.elegans HSN Axons<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Roderick MacKinnon, M.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nSubunit Interactions in Potassium Channel Gating<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Nipam H. Patel, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Carnegie Institution of Washington
\nThe Role of Gooseberry During Drosophila Neurogenesis<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Gabriele V. Ronnett, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
\nThe Mechanisms of Olfactory Signal Transduction<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Daniel Y. Ts’o, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Rockefeller University
\nOptical Imaging of Neuronal Mechanisms of Visual Behavior<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1991-1993<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Hollis T. Cline, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Iowa Medical School
\nRegulation of Neuronal Growth by Neurotransmitter and Protein Kinases<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Gilles J. Laurent, Ph.D.<\/strong>, California Institute of Technology
\nCompartmentalization of Local Neurons in Insect Sensory-motor Networks<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Ernest G. Peralta, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard University
\nMuscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor Signaling Pathways in Neuronal Cells<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

William M. Roberts, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Oregon
\nIon Channels and Intracellular Calcium in Hair Cells<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Thomas L. Schwarz, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University School of Medicine
\nThe Genetics of VAMP and p65: A Dissection of Transmitter Release in Drosophila<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Marc T. Tessier-Lavigne, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Francisco
\nPurification, Cloning, and Characterization of a Chemoattractant that Guides Developing Axons in the Vertebrate Central Nervous System<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1990-1992<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

John R. Carlson, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Yale University School of Medicine
\nMolecular Organization of the Drosophila Olfactory System<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Michael E. Greenberg, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nElectrical Stimulation of Gene Expression in Neurons<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

David J. Julius, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Francisco
\nMolecular Genetics of Serotonin Receptor Function<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Robert C. Malenka, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Francisco
\nMechanisms Underlying Long-term Potentiation in the Hippocampus<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

John D. Sweatt, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Baylor College of Medicine
\nMolecular Mechanisms for LTP in the CA1 Region of Rat Hippocampus<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Kai Zinn, Ph.D.<\/strong>, California Institute of Technology
\nMolecular Genetics of Axon Guidance in the Drosophila Embryo<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1989-1991<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Utpal Banerjee, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, Los Angeles
\nNeurogenetics of R7 Cell Development in Drosophila<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Paul Forscher, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Yale University School of Medicine
\nSignal Transduction at the Neuronal Membrane-cytoskeletal Interface<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Michael D. Mauk, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Texas Medical School
\nThe Role of Protein Kinases in Synaptic Transmission and Plasticity<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Eric J. Nestler, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Yale University School of Medicine
\nMolecular Characterization of the Locus Coeruleus<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Barbara E. Ranscht, Ph.D.<\/strong>, La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation
\nMolecular Analysis of Chick Cell Surface Glycoproteins and Their Role in Nerve Fiber Growth<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1988-1990<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Michael Bastiani, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Utah
\nWatching Growth Cones Make Choices in the Face of Adversity<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Craig E. Jahr, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Oregon Health & Science University
\nMolecular Mechanisms of Excitatory Synaptic Transmission<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Christopher R. Kintner, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
\nMolecular Basis of Neural Induction in Amphibian Embryos<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Jonathan A. Raper, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center
\nIndentification of Molecules Involved in the Control of Growth Cone Motility<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Lorna W. Role, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
\nModulation of Neuronal Acetylcholine Receptors<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Charles Zuker, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Diego
\nSignal Transduction in the Visual System<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1987-1989<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Aaron P. Fox, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Chicago
\nHippocampal Calcium Channels: Biophysical, Pharmacological, and Functional Properties<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

F. Rob Jackson, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology
\nMolecular Basis of Endogenous Timing Mechanisms<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Dennis D.M. O’Leary, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Washington University School of Medicine
\nStudies of Neocortical Development Focused on Areal Differentiation<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Tim Tully, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Brandeis University
\nMolecular Cloning of the Drosophila Short-term Memory Mutant Amnesiac and a Search for Long-term Memory Mutants<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Patricia A. Walicke, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Diego
\nHippocampal Neurons and Fibroblast Growth Factor<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1986-1988<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Christine E. Holt, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Diego
\nAxonal Pathfinding in the Vertebrate Embryo<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Stephen J. Peroutka, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University School of Medicine
\nNovel Anxiolytic Interactions with Central Serotonin Receptor Subtypes<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Randall N. Pittman, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
\nBiochemical, Immunological, and Video Analysis of Neurite Outgrowth<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

S. Lawrence Zipursky, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, Los Angeles
\nA Molecular Genetic Approach to Neural Connectivity<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1985-1987<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Sarah W. Bottjer, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Southern California
\nNeuronal Mechanisms of Vocal Development<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

S. Marc Breedlove, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, Berkeley
\nAndogenic Influences on the Specificity of Neural Connections<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Jane Dodd, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
\nCellular Mechanisms of Sensory Transduction in Cutaneous Afferent Neurons<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Haig S. Keshishian, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Yale University School of Medicine
\nDetermination and Differentiation of Identified Peptidergic Neurons in the Embryonic CNS<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Paul E. Sawchenko, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
\nSteroid-dependent Plasticity in the Neuropeptide Expression<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1984-1986<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Ronald L. Davis, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Baylor College of Medicine
\nCyclic AMP System Genes and Memory in Drosophila<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Scott E. Fraser, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, Irvine
\nTheoretical and Experimental Studies on Nerve Patterning and Synaptic Competition<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Michael R. Lerner, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Yale University School of Medicine
\nMemory and Olfaction<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

William D. Matthew, Ph.D.<\/strong>, <\/i>Harvard Medical School
\nAn Immunological and Biochemical Analysis of Proteoglycans in the Nervous Systemthe Embryonic CNS<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Jonathan D. Victor, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Cornell University Medical College
\nAn Evoked-response Analysis of Central Visual Processing in Health and Disease<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1983-1985<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Richard A. Andersen, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
\nVisual-spatial Properties of the Light-sensitive Neurons of the Posterior Parietal Cortex in Monkeys<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Clifford B. Saper, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Washington University School of Medicine
\nOrganization of Cortical Arousal Systems<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Richard H. Scheller, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University School of Medicine
\nInvestigations of the Function, Organization, and Regulated Expression of Neuropeptide Genes in Aplysia<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Mark Allen Tanouye, Ph.D.<\/strong>, California Institute of Technology
\nThe Molecular Biology of Potassium Channel Genes in Drosophila<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

George R. Uhl, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Massachusetts General Hospital
\nMemory-related Neurotransmitter Systems: Clinicopathological Correlation and Regulation of Specific Gene Expression<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1982-1984<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Bradley E. Alger, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Maryland School of Medicine
\nDepression of Inhibition May Contribute to Potentiation in the Studies in the Rat Hippocampal Slice<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Ralph J. Greenspan, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Princeton University
\nGenetic and Immunological Studies of Cell Surface Molecules and Their Role in Neuronal Development in the Mouse<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Thomas M. Jessell, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
\nThe Role of Neuropeptides in Sensory Transmission and Nociception<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Bruce H. Wainer, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Chicago
\nCortical Cholinergic Innervation in Health and Disease<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Peter J. Whitehouse, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
\nThe Anatomical\/Pathological Basis of the Memory Deficits in Dementia<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1981-1983<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

David G. Amaral, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies
\nStudies of the Development and Connectivity of the Hippocampal<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Robert J. Bloch, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Maryland School of Medicine
\nMacromolecules Involved in Synapse Formation<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Stanley M. Goldin, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nReconstitution, Purification, and Immunocytochemical Localization of Neuronal Ion Transport Proteins of Mammalian Brain<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Stephen G. Lisberger, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Francisco
\nPlasticity of the Primate Vestibulo-ocular Reflex<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Lee L. Rubin, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Rockefeller University
\nRegulatory Mechanisms in Nerve-Muscle Synapse Formation<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1980-1982<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Theodore W. Berger, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Pittsburgh
\nBrain Structures Involved in Human Amnesia: Study of the Hippocampal-Subicular-Cingulate Cortical System<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Thomas H. Brown, Ph.D.<\/strong>, City of Hope Research Institute
\nQuantal Analysis of Synaptic Potentiation in Hippocampal Neurons<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Steven J. Burden, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nThe Synaptic Basal Lamina at Developing and Regenerating Neuromuscular Synapses<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Corey S. Goodman, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Stanford University School of Medicine
\nThe Differentiation, Modification, and Death of Single Cells During Neuronal Development<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

William A. Harris, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Diego
\nAxonal Guidance and Impulse Activity in Development<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1978-1980<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Robert P. Elde, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of Minnesota Medical School
\nImmunohistochemical Studies of Limbic, Forebrain, and Hypothalmic Peptidergic Pathways<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Yuh-Nung Jan, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nStudies on Slow Potential Using Autonomic Ganglia as Model Systems<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Eve Marder, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Brandeis University
\nNeurotransmitter Mechanisms of Electrically Coupled Cells in a Simple System<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

James A. Nathanson, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Yale University School of Medicine
\nHormone Receptor Mechanisms in the Regulation of Cerebral Blood Flow and Cerebrospinal Fluid Circulation<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

Louis F. Reichardt, Ph.D.<\/strong>, University of California, San Francisco
\nGenetic Investigations of Nerve Function in Culture<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t

1977-1979<\/h3>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\t
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Linda M. Hall, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
\nRole of Cholinergic Synapses in Learning and Memory<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Charles A. Marotta, M.D., Ph.D.<\/strong>, Harvard Medical School
\nControl of Brain Tubulin Synthesis During Development<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Urs S. Rutishauser, Ph.D.<\/strong>, The Rockefeller University
\nThe Role of Cell-Cell Adhesion in Development of Neural Tissues<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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David C. Spray, Ph.D.<\/strong>, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
\nNeural Control of Feeding in Navanax<\/i><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"2025-2027 Arkarup Banerjee, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY Neural Circuit Mechanisms for Behavior Novelty The origins of diverse behavioral traits have fascinated biologists for centuries. 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