Research on Spatial Memory in Bats Wins 2013 Eppendorf & Science Prize
The Israeli scientist, Michael Yartsev Ph.D., CV Starr Postdoctoral Research Fellow of the Princeton neuroscience Institute at Princeton University has won the 2013 Eppendorf & Science Prize for neurobiology. Dr. Yartsev uses an unusual animal model, the bat, to study the underlying neural mechanisms of spatial memory and navigation in the mammalian brain. The use of the bat, along with the development of techniques to record the activity of single cells in brains of these flying mammals, allowed him to conduct a comparative examination of current hypotheses as well as to provide novel insights into the neural codes underlying the representation of three-dimensional space in the brain. His work also underscores the potential benefits of using new animal models in neuroscience.
Dr. Michael Yartsev
Eppendorf AG
Dr. Yartsev writes, “All animals on our planet, either on the ground, the ocean depths, or in the sky, must have knowledge of their whereabouts to survive. How the brain solves the problem of knowing where we are in space is a core question in neuroscience. During my doctoral research in the laboratory of Dr. Nachum Ulanovsky at the Weizmann Institute in Israel, I studied the neural activity of spatially selective neurons in the hippocampal formation of freely behaving and flying bats to gain insight into this problem. Using the bat’s unique behavioral repertoire and sensory systems, I now also plan to study the computations taking place in the brain during decision making processes.”
According to Prize Jury Chair and Science Senior Editor, Dr. Peter Stern, “The results obtained by Michael Yartsev’s work are novel and significant in our understanding of how three-dimensional space is represented in the mammalian hippocampus. They suggest that place cells cover volumetric space uniformly and isotropically. His results point towards the underlying mechanisms of how the brain achieves these astonishing feats.”
The annual US$25,000 Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology honors scientists, like Dr. Yartsev, for their outstanding contributions to neurobiology research. Dr. Yartsev is the twelfth recipient of this international award. He will be presented with the Prize at a ceremony held during the week of the 2013 Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego.
The next deadline for applications for the Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology is June 15, 2014.
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