SAN DIEGO — At its upcoming annual meeting, the Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is set to honor five visionary scientists whose groundbreaking research has redefined key areas within neuroscience. These awards spotlight transformative advancements in understanding memory mechanisms, synaptic development, addiction, and neural computation amidst noisy inputs, symbolizing milestone achievements that have propelled the field forward.
The Ralph W. Gerard Prize, SfN’s highest accolade, will be bestowed upon Dr. Joshua Sanes for his pioneering contributions to neural development and synapse formation. Sanes’ early investigations unraveled the delicate choreography by which motor neurons identify and connect to muscle targets at the neuromuscular junction. His exploration of both intrinsic genetic cues and extrinsic environmental influences provided unprecedented clarity on synaptic specificity and maturation. Sanes later shifted focus to the visual system, mapping the molecular and cellular codes that direct axonal and dendritic lamination in the retina. By characterizing neuronal diversity and how cells self-organize into functional mosaics, his work demystified the principles governing complex neural circuits.
Dr. Marco Venniro will receive the Jacob P. Waletzky Award for his innovative research integrating addiction neurobiology with social behavior paradigms. Venniro developed an operant conditioning model in rodents that captures the competition between drug-seeking and social interaction, revealing that social rewards powerfully inhibit drug intake and craving. His discovery that specific neuronal populations within the central amygdala mediate this socially driven relapse prevention has opened new therapeutic avenues. Venniro’s approach represents a paradigm shift, emphasizing the contextual interplay between social factors and addictive behaviors rather than treating addiction as an isolated neurochemical phenomenon.
The Julius Axelrod Prize will recognize Dr. Gregory Quirk for his seminal work elucidating the neural circuits underpinning fear and extinction learning. Quirk’s research demonstrated that the medial prefrontal cortex governs the delicate balance between fear expression and suppression, with distinct subregions—the prelimbic and infralimbic cortices—exerting opponent control over behavioral outcomes. His investigations into synaptic plasticity mechanisms, including the modulation by brain-derived neurotrophic factor and NMDA receptors, solidified the understanding that extinction reflects the formation of new inhibitory memories rather than erasure of fear memories. These insights have significantly influenced translational research into anxiety disorders such as PTSD and OCD, bridging rodent models and human neuroimaging findings.
Dr. Alexandre Pouget will be honored with the Swartz Prize for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience in recognition of his transformative work applying Bayesian inference frameworks to brain function. Pouget’s key insight was treating neural response variability—not as a source of error but as a fundamental signal encoding uncertainty—thereby recasting neural noise as integral to probabilistic computation. His theoretical models elucidate how populations of neurons encode, transform, and integrate sensory information under conditions of uncertainty, supporting complex cognitive tasks like perception and decision-making. Pouget’s interdisciplinary efforts also include the establishment of COSYNE and the International Brain Laboratory, fostering community-driven advances in computational neuroscience.
The Peter Seeburg Integrative Neuroscience Prize will be conferred upon Dr. Sheena Josselyn in acknowledgment of her groundbreaking discoveries identifying the physical engrams of memory. Josselyn’s research established the existence of engram cells—neuronal ensembles that encode specific memories—and delineated molecular and circuit mechanisms dictating their recruitment and function. Her work revealed how stress amplifies engram size and induces generalized fear, while demonstrating how engram allocation links related memories at the cellular level. Importantly, Josselyn identified perturbations in engram dynamics correlating with memory impairment in Alzheimer’s disease models, thus bridging molecular, cellular, and behavioral neuroscience to illuminate the substrates of cognition.
In a posthumous recognition, SfN will award the SfN Service Award to Dr. Floyd Bloom for his unparalleled decades-long dedication to advancing neuroscience through both research and leadership. Bloom’s early work was foundational in neurotransmitter system characterization at multiple levels, pioneering the integration of molecular biology with neuroanatomy. His visionary adoption of computational approaches catalyzed the creation of neuroanatomical databases facilitating large-scale data analysis. Beyond his scientific achievements, Bloom’s commitment to SfN’s growth—serving as president in the 1970s and engaging in numerous strategic committees—cemented his legacy as an architect of the modern neuroscience community.
Together, these awardees exemplify the diversity and depth of contemporary neuroscience research. Their contributions span molecular to systems levels, experimental to theoretical frameworks, and fundamental to translational objectives, reflecting the multifaceted nature of unraveling brain function. Their efforts not only illuminate biological processes but also open promising pathways for clinical intervention in neurological and psychiatric disorders.
SfN President John H. Morrison remarked on the profound impact of these researchers: “From synapse formation to complex social-neural interactions, these scientists have transformed the field’s paradigms. Their discoveries illuminate the brain’s intricate architecture and dynamics, yielding hope for novel therapies targeting memory, addiction, and cognitive dysfunction.”
This year’s honors underscore the Society for Neuroscience’s mission to catalyze scientific innovation and foster a vibrant community dedicated to deciphering nervous system complexities. As the neuroscience field grapples with challenges from the cellular to behavioral scale, these trailblazers provide critical insights and methodological advances propelling understanding forward.
Dr. Sanes’ work on synaptogenesis elucidates how neurons achieve specificity amid vast connectivity possibilities, emphasizing molecular recognition and neuronal self-organization principles crucial for neural circuit assembly. The refinement of retinotopic maps and elucidation of dendritic tiling mechanisms have set a gold standard in developmental neurobiology.
Venniro’s social reinforcement model revolutionizes addiction neuroscience by integrating ethologically relevant motivational contexts, challenging reductionist drug-centric views. His identification of amygdalar circuits mediating social buffering of relapse offers tangible molecular targets. This holistic perspective is reshaping conceptual frameworks for addiction treatment.
Quirk’s delineation of prefrontal-limbic circuits governing fear learning and extinction provides mechanistic clarity informing cognitive-behavioral interventions and pharmacotherapies. His discovery that extinction is an active learning process encoded by synaptic plasticity informs approaches to ameliorate persistent pathological fears.
Pouget’s Bayesian approach quantitatively models how the brain operates under uncertainty, reconciling neural variability with optimal inference theories. Computational frameworks developed in his lab clarify sensory integration and decision-making processes, enriching artificial intelligence and brain-machine interface research.
Josselyn’s identification of engram cells and their molecular signatures establishes a cellular basis for memory storage, fulfilling a century-old quest in neuroscience. Her elucidation of engram dynamics and interactions offers new understanding of memory consolidation, retrieval, and disease-related dysregulation, with profound implications for cognitive disorder therapies.
Dr. Bloom’s visionary contributions weaved together multiple methodological advances, from molecular neurobiology to computational neuroanatomy and scientific governance, leaving a lasting institutional and intellectual legacy within the neuroscience community.
As Neuroscience 2025 convenes, these awardees will share their insights, inspiring new generations of scientists committed to unraveling the brain’s mysteries. Their combined legacy affirms the Society for Neuroscience as a nexus for transformative discovery, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the translation of knowledge into better human health.
Subject of Research: Neural development, synapse formation, addiction neuroscience, fear and extinction learning, theoretical and computational neuroscience, memory engrams, neuroscience leadership and service.
Article Title: Society for Neuroscience Honors Pioneers Transforming Memory, Addiction, and Neural Computation — Neuroscience 2025 Highlights
News Publication Date: 2025
Web References: Society for Neuroscience (sfn.org)
Keywords: Neuroscience, Synapse formation, Addiction, Social reinforcement, Fear extinction, Bayesian inference, Memory engrams, Neural circuits, Computational neuroscience, Neuroplasticity, Neurodevelopment, Neuropharmacology
