Winter Brain Pioneer Awards were introduced in 2017 to honor individuals that have made a lasting impact on the field of neuroscience, as well as the Winter Conference on Brain Research.

Pioneers are nominated by their colleagues and chosen based on a review of their careers as well as their contribution to Winter Brain over the years.  Pioneers will present an overview of their career followed by shorter presentations from junior investigators whose work was inspired by the Pioneer’s work.

Standard panel and poster submissions are now open and announcements will be made via email.

WINTER BRAIN PIONEER 
In continuing with the tradition of recognizing excellence in the field of neuroscience and committed contributions to Winter Brain, two new Pioneers have been selected for the upcoming 56th meeting.

Dr. Thomas Hyde was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and emigrated to the United States at age 5.  Growing up first in suburban Philadelphia and then Washington DC, he attended Magruder Senior High School in Rockville, Maryland, graduating in 1974 as valedictorian.  He matriculated at the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in Biology graduating in 1978 Magna cum Laude.  While at Penn as a sophomore he was selected for the University Scholars Program.  This allowed him to combine his remaining years as an undergraduate with admission to the School of Medicine and Department of Anatomy for a combined MD-PhD program.  He also received a Medical Scientist Training Program grant and stipend to cover his tuition and fees while in the MD-PhD program from 1978-1984.  In addition to his academic achievements, he was a member of the varsity intercollegiate swim team for all 4 years as an undergraduate at Penn. CLICK HERE to read more about Dr. Hyde. 

Dr. Malhotra is the Co-Director of the Institute of Behavioral Science at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research in Manhasset, NY, Director of Psychiatry Research at the Zucker Hillside Hospital in Glen Oaks, NY, and Professor and Vice Chair of Research, Department of Psychiatry, The Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell in Hempstead, NY.  Dr. Malhotra completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University in 1985 and received his M.D. from Wake Forest University in 1989.  After residency training in psychiatry at Georgetown University, he completed a research fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where he initiated a research program in pharmacogenetics. Following his tenure at NIMH, Dr. Malhotra moved to the Zucker Hillside Hospital and developed an internationally recognized molecular genetics program focused on the major neuropsychiatric disorders. CLICK HERE to read more about Dr. Malhotra.

Past Pioneers

2023

Marisela Morales, M.S., Ph.D.
Phil Skolnick, Ph.D., D.Sc.

2022

Jacqueline F. McGinty, Ph.D.
Mark Geyer, Ph.D.

2020

Eliot L. Gardner, Ph.D.
Fritz Henn, D.Phil., M.D.

2019

Barry E. Levin, M.D.
Oswald (Os) Steward, Ph.D.

2018

Lakshmi Devi, Ph.D.
Daniel Weinberger, M.D.

2017

Jill Becker, Ph.D.
William Catterall, Ph.D.
Miles Herkenham, Ph,D.
George Koob, Ph.D.
Sarah Leibowitz, Ph.D.
Roger Nicoll, M.D.
Charles O’Brien. M.D., Ph.D.
Suzanne Zukin, Ph.D.