Two Harvard faculty members were among eight noted investigators recently awarded the prestigious Senator Jacob Javits Award in the Neurosciences. Associate Professor of Surgery Jeffrey Macklis at the Medical School and Andrew P. McMahon, the Frank B. Baird Jr. Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, were honored for their research. The prize provides for up to seven years of research funding from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). A component of the National Institutes of Health, NINDS is the nation’s primary federal sponsor of research on the brain and nervous system.

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Macklis has made significant contributions to the understanding of neuronal replacement and cellular repair of the brain following injury. His research shows that, contrary to previously held beliefs, the reconstruction of complex networks in the brain’s cerebral cortex can be achieved in adulthood. Using a method that he pioneered, Macklis was the first investigator to demonstrate that, following localized injury, the adult mammalian precortex can be repopulated by new neurons. Some of these new nerve cells send axonal projections long distances into target regions and could potentially contribute to the restoration of function. In his most recent research proposal, Macklis hopes to identify the best conditions for the integration of neurons into existing networks of the somatosensory cortex, which receives tactile information from the body. His findings may lead to the development of cell replacement therapies to treat brain disorders.

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