David Fitzpatrick, PhD

Administrative Accomplishments 

As CEO and Scientific Director of the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, I am responsible for working with 2 other Scientific Directors (Lin Tian and Ryohei Yasuda) and a strong administrative team to guide the institute’s scientific research and training programs, providing oversight and guidance of the institute’s budgetary decisions, reporting to the institute’s Board of Trustees, to our MPG Scientific Advisory Board and contributing to organizing the institute’s programs for public engagement. This position has added significantly to the experience that I had acquired from other leadership roles I’ve had (Director, Duke Institute for Brain Sciences; co-Director, Cold Spring Harbor Course on vision; numerous Scientific Advisory Committees and editorial boards including JNS). My philosophy is to always be prepared, keep an open mind, listen to and learn from the experiences of your colleagues, and try hard to reach a consensus that recognizes the critical importance of the decision for the future of the organization, and the impact that this will have on all the individuals who are involved.

These are challenging times for science in the US. I hope that SfN can strengthen its important role in communicating cutting edge research within the neuroscience community, advocating for funding of neuroscience research, and communicating to the public the critical need for evidence-based thinking that drives the scientific discoveries necessary for progress in treating brain disorders. The field of neuroscience has benefitted enormously from SfN over the years, and now, more than ever, we need to work hard to turn things around and generate a bright future for the next generation of neuroscientists.

Current Position(s) at Your Current Institution

• CEO and Scientific Director, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience

Degree, Institute, Year Earned

Research Areas

The Fitzpatrick Lab elucidates the fundamental principles of cortical function that underlie visual perception by exploring questions that bridge columnar, cellular, and synaptic scales. We employ model systems that offer novel perspectives on these questions and continue to meet the technical challenges of visualizing and manipulating circuit function in vivo in the mature and developing cortex. Current lab projects include: (1) Defining the functional synaptic architecture of circuits within primary visual cortex (V1) by characterizing the functional properties, dendritic topology, strength, and source of synaptic inputs to individual layer 2/3 neurons; (2) Understanding the interplay between endogenous and experience-dependent mechanisms in shaping the development of highly reliable functional representations of visual stimuli in V1; (3) Exploring the plastic changes in the excitatory and inhibitory circuits of mature V1 that contribute to perceptual learning.

Memberships & Service

Service Positions

Editorial Boards:

Other Service Positions:

Science Biography

David Fitzpatrick’s research employs state-of-the-art in vivo imaging techniques to probe the functional organization and development of neural circuits in the cerebral cortex. He currently serves as Scientific Director and CEO of the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, one of 84 institutes within the Max Planck Society and the only one located outside of Europe. Prior to his appointment as Founding Director in 2011, he was the James B. Duke Professor of Neurobiology at the Duke University School of Medicine and Founding Director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. He is widely recognized for his pioneering work using state-of-the-art imaging technologies to reveal the synaptic interactions in visual cortex that enable our remarkable abilities to detect, interpret, and interact with the information-rich patterns of light that fall on the retina. His research explores questions that bridge columnar, cellular, and synaptic scales, employs novel model species (tree shrew and ferret) and has overcome numerous technical challenges to visualize and manipulate circuit function in vivo in both the mature and developing cortex. This work has resulted in a number of professional awards and recognitions including: Cajal Club Cortical Discoverer Award, Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow, McKnight Neuroscience Investigator Award, John Lisman ’66 Memorial Award, and membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Current research in his lab focuses on three major areas: (1) Defining the functional synaptic architecture of neural circuits within primary visual cortex (V1) by characterizing the functional properties, dendritic topology, strength, and source of synaptic inputs to individual functionally characterized excitatory and inhibitory layer 2/3 neurons; (2) Determining how intrinsic and experience-dependent mechanisms interact during development to establish highly reliable, binocularly aligned representations of visual stimuli; and (3) Examining coordinated changes in excitatory and inhibitory circuits in mature V1 that underlie perceptual learning. Together, this work aims to uncover fundamental principles of cortical function and development that advance our understanding of neural mechanisms of perception and cognition, delivering novel insights critical for addressing a broad range of neurological and psychiatric disorders.

The full CV for this candidate can be found within the ballot.