SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD
Paul Greengard, PhD – SAB Chairman
Dr. Paul Greengard is the Vincent Astor Professor of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience at The Rockefeller University and Director of The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research. Greengard received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins in 1953. He spent five years in England receiving advanced training at the University of London, at Cambridge University and at the National Institute of Medical Research. Upon his return to the United States, Greengard worked as Director of the Department of Biochemistry at Geigy (now Novartis) Research Laboratories, in Ardsley, New York for eight years. In 1967, he left the pharmaceutical industry to return to academia. From 1968 to 1983 Greengard served as Professor of Pharmacology and Psychiatry at Yale University, at which time he moved to his current position at The Rockefeller University.
Dr. Paul Greengard is the Vincent Astor Professor of Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience at The Rockefeller University and Director of The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research. Greengard received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins in 1953. He spent five years in England receiving advanced training at the University of London, at Cambridge University and at the National Institute of Medical Research. Upon his return to the United States, Greengard worked as Director of the Department of Biochemistry at Geigy (now Novartis) Research Laboratories, in Ardsley, New York for eight years. In 1967, he left the pharmaceutical industry to return to academia. From 1968 to 1983 Greengard served as Professor of Pharmacology and Psychiatry at Yale University, at which time he moved to his current position at The Rockefeller University.
Over the years, Greengard's achievements have earned him many distinguished awards including the Metropolitan Life Foundation Award for Medical Research, The Charles A. Dana Award for Pioneering Achievements in Health, the Ralph W. Gerard Prize in Neuroscience from the Society for Neuroscience, The National Academy of Sciences Award in the Neurosciences, the 3M Life Sciences Award of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. In the year 2000, Greengard was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries concerning signal transduction in the nervous system. He is an Honorary Member of the National Academies of Science in Sweden, Norway and Serbia and has been the recipient of many honorary degrees. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.
Daniel H. Lowenstein, MD
Dr. Lowenstein has been a member of the SAB since January 2005. Dr. Lowenstein is Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco ("UCSF"), Director of the UCSF Epilepsy Center and Director of Physician-Scientist Training Programs for the UCSF School of Medicine. He received his MD degree from Harvard Medical School in 1983. Dr. Lowenstein established the UCSF Epilepsy Research Laboratory, and was the Robert B. and Ellinor Aird Professor of Neurology from 1998 to 2000. He then joined Harvard Medical School as Dean for Medical Education and Carl W. Walter Professor of Neurology for two and a half years, and in 2003, moved back to UCSF in his current position. During 2004, he served as President of the American Epilepsy Society. His research interests have included molecular and cellular changes in neural networks following seizure activity and injury, and the clinical problem of status epilepticus. More recently, he has turned his attention to the genetics of epilepsy, and he is leading the "Epilepsy Phenome/Genome Project," a large, national study aimed at identifying the genes responsible for the more common forms of epilepsy. Dr. Lowenstein has received several national awards for excellence in teaching and numerous academic honors and awards, including the American Epilepsy Society's 2001 Basic Research Award. Among his numerous publications, he has authored approximately 80 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and more than 75 review articles, editorials and book chapters.
Dr. Lowenstein has been a member of the SAB since January 2005. Dr. Lowenstein is Professor and Vice Chairman of the Department of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco ("UCSF"), Director of the UCSF Epilepsy Center and Director of Physician-Scientist Training Programs for the UCSF School of Medicine. He received his MD degree from Harvard Medical School in 1983. Dr. Lowenstein established the UCSF Epilepsy Research Laboratory, and was the Robert B. and Ellinor Aird Professor of Neurology from 1998 to 2000. He then joined Harvard Medical School as Dean for Medical Education and Carl W. Walter Professor of Neurology for two and a half years, and in 2003, moved back to UCSF in his current position. During 2004, he served as President of the American Epilepsy Society. His research interests have included molecular and cellular changes in neural networks following seizure activity and injury, and the clinical problem of status epilepticus. More recently, he has turned his attention to the genetics of epilepsy, and he is leading the "Epilepsy Phenome/Genome Project," a large, national study aimed at identifying the genes responsible for the more common forms of epilepsy. Dr. Lowenstein has received several national awards for excellence in teaching and numerous academic honors and awards, including the American Epilepsy Society's 2001 Basic Research Award. Among his numerous publications, he has authored approximately 80 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and more than 75 review articles, editorials and book chapters.
Eric J. Nestler, MD, PhD
Dr. Nestler has been a member of the SAB since May 2004. Dr. Nestler's research focuses on better understanding the molecular mechanisms of addiction and depression in animal models and using this information to develop improved treatments for these disorders. He has authored or edited seven books and published more than 375 articles and reviews relating to the field of Neuropsychopharmacology. From 1992-2000, he was Director of the Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities and the Division of Molecular Psychiatry at Yale University. From 2000-2008, he served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. In 2008, he moved to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York where he is now Chairman of the Department of Neuroscience and Director of the Friedman Brain Institute. Dr. Nestler's awards and honors include the Pfizer Scholars Award (1987), Sloan Research Fellowship (1987), McKnight Scholar Award (1989), Efron Award of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (1994), Pasarow Foundation Award for Neuropsychiatric Research (1998), Foundation Ipsen Prize in Neural Plasticity (2008), and the Patricia Goldman-Rakic Award from NARSAD (2008). He is a member of the Institute of Medicine (elected 1998) and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (elected 2005).
Dr. Nestler has been a member of the SAB since May 2004. Dr. Nestler's research focuses on better understanding the molecular mechanisms of addiction and depression in animal models and using this information to develop improved treatments for these disorders. He has authored or edited seven books and published more than 375 articles and reviews relating to the field of Neuropsychopharmacology. From 1992-2000, he was Director of the Abraham Ribicoff Research Facilities and the Division of Molecular Psychiatry at Yale University. From 2000-2008, he served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. In 2008, he moved to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York where he is now Chairman of the Department of Neuroscience and Director of the Friedman Brain Institute. Dr. Nestler's awards and honors include the Pfizer Scholars Award (1987), Sloan Research Fellowship (1987), McKnight Scholar Award (1989), Efron Award of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (1994), Pasarow Foundation Award for Neuropsychiatric Research (1998), Foundation Ipsen Prize in Neural Plasticity (2008), and the Patricia Goldman-Rakic Award from NARSAD (2008). He is a member of the Institute of Medicine (elected 1998) and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (elected 2005).
Andrew J. Brooks, PhD
Dr. Brooks has been a member of the SAB since January 2002. Dr. Brooks is currently Director of the Bionomics Research and Technology Center (BRTC) at the Environmental and Occupational Health Science Institute of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He is also the Chief Operating Officer at the Rutgers University's Cell and DNA Repository and Associate Professor of Medicine and Genetics at UMDNJ/Rutgers. Dr. Brooks is a molecular neuroscientist whose research focuses on deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying memory and learning. These studies investigate gene-environment interactions in the context of aging, neurodegenerative disease and neurotoxicant exposure. Dr. Brooks was Director of the Center for Functional Genomics in the Aab Institute for Biomedical Science at the University of Rochester where he also received his PhD.
Dr. Brooks has been a member of the SAB since January 2002. Dr. Brooks is currently Director of the Bionomics Research and Technology Center (BRTC) at the Environmental and Occupational Health Science Institute of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He is also the Chief Operating Officer at the Rutgers University's Cell and DNA Repository and Associate Professor of Medicine and Genetics at UMDNJ/Rutgers. Dr. Brooks is a molecular neuroscientist whose research focuses on deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying memory and learning. These studies investigate gene-environment interactions in the context of aging, neurodegenerative disease and neurotoxicant exposure. Dr. Brooks was Director of the Center for Functional Genomics in the Aab Institute for Biomedical Science at the University of Rochester where he also received his PhD.
Andres M. Lozano, MD, PhD
Dr. Lozano has been a member of the SAB since April 2001. He is currently Professor and Chairman of Neurosurgery and holds the Ronald Tasker Chair in Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto. Dr. Lozano received his MD from the University of Ottawa and a PhD from McGill University. He completed Residency in Neurosurgery at the Montreal Neurological Institute prior to joining the staff at the University of Toronto. Dr. Lozano is the past President of both the American and the World Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery.
Dr. Lozano has been a member of the SAB since April 2001. He is currently Professor and Chairman of Neurosurgery and holds the Ronald Tasker Chair in Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto. Dr. Lozano received his MD from the University of Ottawa and a PhD from McGill University. He completed Residency in Neurosurgery at the Montreal Neurological Institute prior to joining the staff at the University of Toronto. Dr. Lozano is the past President of both the American and the World Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery.
“… clinical outcomes [from the Phase 1 Parkinson’s disease study] were encouraging. Substantial improvements in both the off and on states were evident, beginning at three months after surgery and continuing until the end of the trial.”
The Lancet, June 23, 2007