2012-2013 Research Topics
In 2012, the Brain Research Foundation Seed Grant Program funded critical research in 10 areas of neuroscience. In addition to our annual seed grant program, the Foundation awarded two larger grants to distinguished investigators in 2012 and 2013 for our Scientific Innovations Award. Drs. Ben Barres, W. Martin Usrey, Jean M. Hébert and Brian Litt were chosen to receive $150,000 each to pursue exciting research in neuroscience. Click on each of the topics below to learn more about the studies and how they’ll contribute to the field of neuroscience.
Click here to find out about previous research topics.
Human CognitionAn Astrocytic Basis for Humanity
2012 Scientific Innovations Award
Ben Barres, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Neurobiology
Stanford University
Cortical Function & BehaviorOptogenetics in the Behaving Primate: Using Light to Study Cortical Function
2012 Scientific Innovations Award
W. Martin Usrey, Ph.D.
Center for Neuroscience
University of California, Davis
Neuron Replacement: Improved Cognitive FunctionHow receptive is the adult neocortex to incorporating new projection neurons?2013 Scientific Innovations Award
Jean M. Hébert, Ph.D.
Department of Neuroscience
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Targeted Therapy with NanodevicesNanodevices to Treat Neurological Diseases2013 Scientific Innovations Award
Brian Litt, M.D.
Department of Neurology
University of Pennsylvania
DepressionNovel HCN channel inhibitors for treatment of depression2012 Seed Grant
Dane Chetkovich, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Neurology
Northwestern University
Learning and MemoryCortical circuit mechanisms for visual categorization and category learning2012 Seed Grant
David Freedman, Ph.D.
Department of Neurobiology
The University of Chicago
Parkinson's DiseaseRegulation of Dopaminergic Neuron Fate Specification by Neurogenin 2
2012 Seed Grant
Yong-Chao Ma, Ph.D.
Department of Pediatrics, Neurology and Physiology
Northwestern University/Children's Hospital Research Center
Visual ProcessingNeural mechanisms of efficient coding in the primate visual cortex
2012 Seed Grant
Leslie Osborne, Ph.D.
Department of Neurobiology
The University of Chicago
Hormonal Effects on NeuronsModulation of visual cortical processing by brain-generated estrogen
2012 Seed Grant
Raphael Pinaud, Ph.D.
Department of Neurobiology
Northwestern University
Neural Stem CellsCRAC channel function and calcium dynamics in neural stem cells
2012 Seed Grant
Murali Prakriya, Ph.D.
Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry
Northwestern University
Galectins - How They Alter Brain FunctionGalectin modulation of excitatory transmission and neuronal function
2012 Seed Grant
Geoffrey Swanson, Ph.D.
Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry
Northwestern University
SchizophreniaCB1 cannabinoid receptor activation during adolescence impairs maturation of prefrontal GABAergic circuits
2012 Seed Grant
Kuei Tseng, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology
Rosalind Franklin University