Anne Churchland honored by National Academy of Sciences for neuroscience research

Anne Churchland, professor of neurobiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and member of the UCLA Brain Research Institute, has been recognized by the National Academy of Sciences for her advancements in understanding the underlying mechanisms of decision-making and sensory-guided behavior.

The academy has selected Churchland for its 2025 Pradel Research Award, an annual honor granted to a mid-career neuroscientist who has made significant contributions in the understanding of the nervous system. She will receive a $50,000 research award to designate to an institution of her choice to support neuroscience research.

Churchland is being honored for her research into the neural circuitry that influences decision-making and how the brain utilizes information from our senses, memories and impulses. She has helped promote scientific contributions of women in neuroscience and is a founding member of the International Brain Laboratory.

“She has pioneered multi-faceted approaches to measure and manipulate neurons in cortical and subcortical areas while animals make decisions about sensory signals,” the National Academy of Sciences said in a statement. “To connect the neural responses with behavior, Churchland’s lab uses mathematical analyses aimed at understanding what information is represented at the level of neural populations, both at a given moment and over time.” 

Read the original article from UCLA Newsroom: Anne Churchland honored by National Academy of Sciences for neuroscience research