“Joshua Sanes, PhD, the Jeff C. Tarr Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, emeritus, and founding director of the Center for Brain Science at Harvard University, is a trailblazing researcher whose contributions have shaped the field of neural development. In the first half of his career, Sanes elucidated the mechanisms of synapse formation at the neuromuscular junction, demonstrating how a motor nerve finds its target and establishes contact, offering critical insights into the extrinsic and intrinsic factors that regulate synaptic development. Later in his career, Sanes focused on the visual system to understand how neurons discriminate among the vast number of potential synaptic targets they encounter in the developing brain. He revealed a rich diversity of cell types in the retina, uncovered properties of the various types of cells, elucidated the molecular logic underlying mosaic spacing of neurons, identified the molecules that guide dendrites and axons to their appropriate laminar positions in the retina, and showed how neuronal processes achieve self-avoidance. His groundbreaking research has made a profound impact on neuroscience.”
Past awardees: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_W._Gerard_Prize_in_Neuroscience