January WKW Frontiers in Neuroscience Speaker: Peter L. Strick, Ph.D.

Peter L. Strick, Ph.D. - January 19, 2021

"The Neural Basis of the 'Brain-Body' Connection"

William K. Warren, Jr.  Frontiers in Neuroscience Lecture 
Virtual Presentation via Zoom (email for details) 
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm     Program

Peter L. Strick, Ph.D., Thomas Detre Professor and Chair, Department of Neurobiology; Scientific Director, University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute; Co-Director, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh.

Peter L. Strick, Ph.D., received his B.A. (Biology, 1968) and Ph.D. (Anatomy, 1972) from the University of Pennsylvania. Then, he was a Staff Fellow in Edward V. Evarts’ Laboratory of Neurophysiology at NIMH (1972-1976). In 1976, Strick moved to the VA Medical Center, Syracuse, NY and the Departments of Neurosurgery and Physiology, SUNY-Upstate Medical Center. He was appointed George W. Perkins, III Memorial Professor in Neurosurgery (1988) and served as Acting President of the Central New York Research Corp. (1994-1996), and Interim Director of the Neuroscience Program at SUNY-Upstate (1997-1998).

In 2000, Strick moved to the University of Pittsburgh to become Co-Director, Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition and Professor, Departments of Neurobiology, Neurological Surgery, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and Psychiatry. In 2007, Strick became the founding Director of the Systems Neuroscience Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. In 2012, Strick was appointed the Thomas Detre Professor and Chair, Department of Neurobiology and co-director for the Center for Neuroscience. Strick also was appointed the founding Scientific Director of the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute (2014-).

Strick co-founded the Neural Control of Movement Society (1990) and served as its Conference Co-Chair, Program Chair (1990-2007) and President (2007-2010). He was elected, Scientific Councilor (1996-2000) and Treasurer (1998-2000) of the Society for Neuroscience. He served as Section Editor (1986-1995) and then Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Neurophysiology (1995-2002), and he currently serves as Senior Editor, Cerebral Cortex (2003-) and on the PNAS Editorial Board (2016-).

Strick's major awards include the C.J. Herrick Award from the American Association of Anatomists (1979); Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award from NIH-NINDS (1986); Established Investigator Award from NARSAD (1995-1996); President's Award for Excellence and Leadership in Research, SUNY-Upstate Medical Center (1996); Senior Research Career Scientist Award from the Veterans Administration (1987-2015); University Distinguished Professor of Neurobiology (2011) and Chancellor's Distinguished Research Award, Senior Scholar, University of Pittsburgh (2013); Linné Lecture, Uppsala University (2017); Paul D. MacLean Award, American Psychosomatic Society (2018); Carnegie Science Award in the Life Sciences, (2018); and the Krieg Cortical Kudos Discoverer Award, Cajal Club (2019). Strick was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2004) and to the National Academy of Sciences (2012).

Strick's research focuses on four major areas: the generation and control of voluntary movement by the motor areas of the cerebral cortex; the motor and cognitive functions of the basal ganglia and cerebellum; the neural basis for the mind-body connection; and unraveling the complex neural networks that comprise the central nervous system.

Learning objectives: 

1.  Identify the types of cortical areas that influence the function of the adrenal medulla.
2.  Identify the areas of the cerebral cortex that influence sympathetic output of the stomach.
3.  Identify the areas of the cerebral cortex that influence parasympathetic output to the stomach.