Heinemann Receives Julius Axelrod Prize
SAN DIEGO — The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) awarded the Julius Axelrod Prize to Stephen F. Heinemann, PhD, of The Salk Institute during Neuroscience 2010, the Society for Neuroscience’s annual meeting and the world’s largest source of emerging news on brain science and health. The prize recognizes exceptional achievements in neuropharmacology (or a related field) and exemplary efforts in mentoring young scientists. It is supported by the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation and includes a $25,000 award.
“The Society is honored to recognize the distinguished career of Dr. Heinemann and his contributions to neurobiology. His generosity in teaching young neuroscientists and fellow colleagues at all stages of their careers is just one example of his continued leadership in the field,” said Michael E. Goldberg, MD, president of SfN.
Heinemann, a past president of SfN, is best known for his work on the molecular cloning and characterization of nicotinic and glutamatergic receptors. His work helped to usher in the field of molecular neuropharmacology. During his career of more than 30 years, Heinemann has mentored many students, who have gone on to secure key academic positions worldwide. Currently, he is a professor at The Salk Institute and has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Institute of Medicine.
Julius Axelrod was a long-time member of SfN and shared the 1970 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of the actions of neurotransmitters in regulating the metabolism of the nervous system. His well known work on brain chemistry led to current treatments for depression and anxiety disorders and played a key role in the discovery of the pain-relieving properties of acetaminophen. Throughout his career, Axelrod mentored dozens of young scientists, many of whom have gone on to have distinguished careers in neuroscience and pharmacology. He died in 2004 at age 92.
The Society for Neuroscience is an organization of more than 40,000 researchers and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system.
