Robert Gerlai
{{short description|Canadian behaviour geneticist}}
{{Infobox scientist
| name = Robert T. Gerlai
| image = Gerlai, Robert.jpg
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| caption = Robert Gerlai, August 2009
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1960}}
| birth_place = Budapest, Hungary
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| citizenship = Canadian
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| fields = Behavior genetics
| workplaces = University of Toronto
| alma_mater = Eötvös Loránd University
| doctoral_advisor = Vilmos Csanyi
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| website = https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/gerlai-lab/home
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Robert T. Gerlai is a Canadian behaviour geneticist and behavioural neuroscientist.
Early life and education
Gerlai obtained his PhD in 1987 from the Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest.{{cn|date=February 2021}}
Career
Gerlai has worked in the biotechnology (Genentech) and biopharmaceutical research industries (Eli Lilly and Company and Saegis Pharmaceuticals) as Senior Scientist and Vice President of Research, and led pre-clinical as well as clinical research teams developing drugs to treat mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's Disease. He also worked at different universities in North America and Europe. He is a Distinguished Professor of behavioral neuroscience at the Department of Psychology at the University of Toronto.
The Web of Science lists over 350 peer-reviewed publications for Gerlai, which have been cited over 19000 times, resulting in an h-index of 70.{{cite book |date=2023-12-01 |title=Science Citation Index Expanded |publisher=Clarivate |edition=Science |via=Web of Science |title-link=Science Citation Index Expanded}} Gerlai has worked with several different animal species, including paradise fish and mice. He was among the first to use transgenic mice in the analysis of learning and memory{{cn|date=December 2023}} and showed that astrocytes play important roles in synaptic plasticity. He is also known for discovering the role of Eph tyrosine kinases and their ephrin ligands in neuronal plasticity.{{cn|date=December 2023}} He is considered a leader{{cn|date=December 2023}} of zebrafish behavioral neuroscience research, and has been using this species, and studies the effects of alcohol on brain function and behaviour, including social behaviour, fear-anxiety, and learning and memory.{{cite web |url=http://sites.utoronto.ca/GerlaiLab/index.html |title=Gerlai Laboratory @ The University of Toronto, Mississauga |website= |accessdate=2009-04-15}}{{cite news |last1=Wilkes |first1=Jim |url=https://www.thestar.com/news/2011/02/06/drunk_fish_may_hold_secrets_to_alcoholism_in_humans.html |title=Drunk fish may hold secrets to alcoholism in humans |date=6 February 2011 |newspaper=Toronto Star |location=Toronto |access-date=2015-08-04}}
Honours
Gerlai is an elected Fellow of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society, of which he also has been president.{{cite web |url=https://ibns.memberclicks.net/past-presidents |title=Past Presidents |publisher=International Behavioral Neuroscience Society |accessdate=2015-08-04}} He is editor-in-chief of Behavioral and Brain Functions.{{cite web |title=Behavioral and Brain Functions |url=https://behavioralandbrainfunctions.biomedcentral.com/about/editorial-board |website=BioMed Central |publisher=Springer-Nature |access-date=14 September 2024 |language=en}} He is editor of the book series Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology (https://www.springer.com/series/5584?srsltid=AfmBOooV1CNLssyA_Dkpec7A3hvNG8obhFa730HsLDUscUkc0YKzg75w). He is a member of the editorial boards of Biology,{{cite web |title=Editorial Board |url=https://www.mdpi.com/journal/biology/editors#editorialboard |website=Biology |publisher=MDPI |access-date=2022-05-11}} Genes, Brain and Behavior,{{Cite journal |title=Journal Information |website=Genes, Brain and Behavior |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/1601183x/homepage/editorialboard.html}} Neurotoxicology and Teratology,{{cite web |url=http://www.journals.elsevier.com/neurotoxicology-and-teratology/editorial-board/ |title=Editorial Board |website=Neurotoxicology and Teratology |publisher=Elsevier |accessdate=2015-08-04}} Learning and Behavior,{{cite web |url=https://www.springer.com/psychology/psychology+general/journal/13420/PSE?detailsPage=editorialBoard |title=Editorial board |website=Learning & Behavior |accessdate=2015-08-04}} Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, Zebrafish, and F1000. He is section editor for behavioral neuroscience of BMC Neuroscience.{{cite web |url=http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcneurosci// |title=Section Editors |website=BMC Neuroscience |publisher=BioMed Central |accessdate=2015-08-04}}
In 2013, Gerlai received the Distinguished Scientist Award from the International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society.{{cite web |url=http://www.ibngs.org/ibangs-awards |title=IBANGS Awards |publisher=International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society |accessdate=2013-11-19}} In 2015, he received the Research Excellence Award from the University of Toronto.{{cite web |url=https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/vp-research/research-campus/u-t-mississauga-excellence-awards/desmond-morton-research-excellence-award |title=Desmond Morton Research Excellence Award - Research |publisher=University of Toronto Mississauga |accessdate=12 April 2017}} In 2019 he received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society.{{cite web |title=Awards |url=https://www.ibnsconnect.org/awards |publisher=International Behavioral Neuroscience Society |website=www.ibnsconnect.org}} In 2019 and again in 2024, he received the 5-year John Carlin Roder Distinguished Professorship in Behavioural Neuroscience at the University of Toronto Mississauga.{{cite web |title=Distinguished Professors |website=Division of the Vice-President & Provost |url=https://www.provost.utoronto.ca/awards-funding/distinguished-professors/ |publisher=University of Toronto Mississauga}}{{cite web |title=U of T Distinguished Professor Awards {{!}} Office of the Vice-Principal Academic and Dean |url=https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/dean/news/u-t-distinguished-professor-awards |publisher=University of Toronto |access-date=2024-01-11}} In 2023, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.{{cn|date=September 2023}} In 2024, he received the IQ Consortium/AAALAC International Global 3Rs Award for his significant and innovative contributions to ethical and humane use of animals in research (https://www.aaalac.org/awards/global-3rs-winners/).
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://sites.utoronto.ca/GerlaiLab/index.html}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Gerlai, Robert}}