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.

The international US$25,000 Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology is awarded jointly by Eppendorf and the journal Science. All scientists who are 35 years of age or younger and who have made outstanding contributions to neurobiological research are invited to apply. The next deadline for applications is June 15, 2014.