The
Portuguese scientist, Tiago Branco M.D., Ph.D., Postdoctoral Research Fellow at
University College London has won the 2011 Eppendorf &
Science Prize
for Neurobiology for his research on dendrites. His work shows how dendrites
discriminate temporal input sequences and apply different integration rules
depending on input location. These findings give insight on how the brain
performs the computations that underlie behaviour, and suggest that even single
neurons can solve complex computational tasks.
Dr.
Branco writes "Animal survival depends on the ability to analyze the
environment and act upon it. This requires processing information from the outside
world and using it to produce an appropriate behaviour. How does the brain do
this? Information arrives at neurons in the form of synaptic input delivered to
dendrites ? protrusions from the cell body separating the input from the output
zone. My studies have shown that the properties of dendrites might be used by
single neurons to integrate information and perform specific computations. In
particular, I focused on the ability of dendrites to discriminate between
different temporal sequences of input, a fundamental computation for
successfully interacting with a dynamic environment." Using a laser to activate
synapses with precise spatial and temporal control, Dr. Branco has shown that
the presence of a special type of glutamate receptor allows dendrites to
efficiently discriminate multiple input sequences. This combination of
electrophysiological, optical and modelling techniques has advanced our
understanding of how dendritic integration contributes to single neuron
computations. In his future work, Dr. Branco plans to combine this approach
with molecular methods to investigate the role of dendrites in controlling
animal behaviour.
According to
Dr. Axel Jahns at Eppendorf headquarters in Hamburg, "Sponsored jointly by Eppendorf and
the journal
Science, this international US$ 25,000 prize is open to
scientists of 35 years of age or younger who have made outstanding
contributions to neurobiological research using molecular and cell biology
methods. Dr. Branco was selected as the tenth winner of the Eppendorf &
Science
Prize by a committee of distinguished scientists chaired by Dr. Peter Stern,
Senior Editor of
Science. Dr. Branco was awarded the Prize at a special
anniversary gala dinner for over 80 guests held at the AAAS/
Science
Headquarters in Washington D.C. on November 13, 2011."
The next
deadline for applications for the Eppendorf &
Science Prize for
Neurobiology is June 15, 2012. For more information about Dr. Branco and the
Prize, visit
www.eppendorf.com/prize.
Eppendorf UK, incorporating
New Brunswick from 1
st January 2011, is headquartered in Cambridge
and a subsidiary of Eppendorf AG, Hamburg, Germany. With over 2,600 employees
on four continents, Eppendorf AG is a leading global supplier of systems and
research tools for the biotechnology industry. The company achieved a turnover
of £422m (€484m) in 2010 and operating profits (EBIT) of £81.7m (€93.6m).
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