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May-Britt Moser

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May-Britt Moser
FRS
Moser in 2014.
(Photographer: Henrik Fjørtoft /NTNUCommunication Division)
Born
May-Britt Andreassen

1963 (age 60–61)
Fosnavåg,Norway
NationalityNorwegian
Alma materUniversity of Oslo
Known forGrid cells,Neurons
SpouseEdvard Moser(1985–2016)
Children2
AwardsLouis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine(2011)
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine(2014)
Scientific career
FieldsNeuroscience,Psychology
InstitutionsNorwegian University of Science and Technology
University of Edinburgh
Doctoral advisorPer Andersen
Doctoral studentsMarianne Fyhn

May-Britt MoserFRS(born 1963) is a Norwegianpsychologistandneuroscientist,who is[when?]a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at theNorwegian University of Science and Technology(NTNU). She and her former husband,Edvard Moser,shared half of the 2014Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine,[1][2][3] awarded for work concerning thegrid cellsin theentorhinal cortex,as well as several additional space-representing cell types in the same circuit that make up the positioning system in the brain.[4]

Together with Edvard Moser she established theMoser research environmentat NTNU, which they lead. Since 2012 she has headed the Centre for Neural Computation.[when?]

Moser received her education as a psychologist at theDepartment of Psychology, University of Osloand obtained a PhD inneurophysiologyat theFaculty of Medicinein 1995; in 1996 she was appointed as associate professor inbiological psychologyat the Department of Psychology at theNorwegian University of Science and Technology(NTNU); she was promoted to professor of neuroscience in 2000. In 2002 her research group was given the status of a separate "centre of excellence".[5]

Early life and education[edit]

May-Britt Moser was born in the small town ofFosnavåg,Møre og Romsdal,Norway, in 1963, the youngest of five children. Although her family owned a small farm, her father worked as a carpenter. This meant that her mother was mainly responsible for caring for the farm. A self-proclaimed "tom-boy," May-Britt was born into a family without excess money, meaning that she did not have the means to travel in the summer. With her free time, she chose to study animals where she found a major passion. May-Britt's mother told her fairytales while she was growing up and always encouraged her to work hard to make her dreams come true. As a child, May-Britt wanted to become a doctor who traveled the world saving people, or even a veterinarian due to her love of animals. She was never a particularly gifted student in grade school, but the right level of encouragement from her teachers saw her talents flourish. May-Britt was determined not to become a housewife, as was customary for the time.[6]

Moser attended theUniversity of Oslowhere she studied psychology, mathematics, and neurobiology.[5][7]May-Britt chose this school because two of her sisters lived in theOsloarea and provided her with a temporary place to live. She enjoyed the freedom of university, but was not completely sure what she wanted to do with her degree. She was accepted into dentistry school, but declined the offer. May-Britt soon metEdvard I. Moser,who she recognized from her high school.[6]The couple married on July 27, 1985, and decided to together study the relationship between the brain and behavior.[7][8][6]In June 1991, the couple had their first child, Isabel. They found it difficult to balance a PhD program with having a child, but their passion for their studies fueled them to bring their daughter along for long days in the lab. Ailin was born in 1995.[6]Later that year, May-Britt Moser obtained a doctorate in neurophysiology for her work recognizing correlations between the structure of the hippocampus and spatial recognition within rats.[7]May-Britt Moser and her husband traveled briefly to theUniversity of Edinburghto work with Richard Morris, a neuroscientist. They later visitedUniversity College London,where they worked in O' Keefe's laboratory.[7]The couple eventually decided to work at Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, where May-Britt became a professor of neuroscience and director of the University's Center for Neural Computation.[5]The couple announced their divorce in 2016, but still continue their scientific work together.[9][10]

Career[edit]

Moser was awarded a degree in psychology at theDepartment of Psychologyat theUniversity of Osloin 1990. She was then employed as a research fellow at the Faculty of Medicine, where she was awarded herPh.D.in Neurophysiology in 1995 at the age of 32,[11]under the supervision of professorPer Andersen.She and Edvard Moser went on to undertake postdoctoral training withRichard Morrisat the Centre for Neuroscience,University of Edinburghfrom 1994 to 1996, and were visiting postdoctoral fellows at the laboratory ofJohn O'Keefeat theUniversity College, Londonfor two months.

The Mosers returned to Norway in 1996 where May-Britt was appointed associate professor in biological psychology at the Department of Psychology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. She was promoted to a position as full professor of neuroscience at NTNU in 2000. The couple were instrumental in the establishment of the Centre for the Biology of Memory (CBM) in 2002 and theInstitute for Systems Neuroscienceat NTNU in 2007. Moser is also head of department of the NTNU Centre for Neural Computation. She also is a member of theRoyal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters,[12]Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters,[13]theAmerican Philosophical Society,[14]and theNorwegian Academy of Technological Sciences.[15]Moser was appointed by the European Research Council as a member of one of the evaluation panels for ERC startup grants for the period 2007–2009.

The Mosers pioneered research on the brain's mechanism for representing space together with their mentor John O'Keefe. The Mosers discovered types of cells that are important for determining position (spatial representation) close to thehippocampus,an area deep in the brain that is important for encoding of space, and also forepisodic memory.Moser investigated correlations between the anatomical structure of the hippocampus and social learning in rats. Moser's work gave the ability for scientists to gain new knowledge into the cognitive processes and spatial deficits associated with human neurological conditions such asAlzheimer's disease.

In 2013, the Trondheim Chamber of Commerce awarded Moser the Madame Beyer award, which recognizes brilliant female business leaders. It was awarded in recognition of Moser's robust leadership, scientific achievements, and her high ethical standards, as well as her consistent focus on teamwork and community spirit.[16]

In 2014, the Mosers shared half of the 2014Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.The other half of the prize was awarded to John O'Keefe. The Mosers are one of six couples to be awarded a Nobel Prize.

May-Britt Moser was a co-Founder of the Centre for the Biology of Memory, aResearch Council of Norway-funded Centre of Excellence from 2003 to 2012, and has taken on the Directorship of the Centre for Neural Computation, a second Centre of Excellence that will run from 2013 to 2022.[17]

Honours[edit]

Selected publications[edit]

  • List of publications by May-Britt MoserinBIBSYS(Norway)
  • List of publications by May-Britt MoserinCRIStin
  • Brun, V.H., Otnæss, M.K., Molden, S., Steffenach, H.-A., Witter, M.P., Moser, M.-B., Moser, E.I. (2002). "Place cells and place representation maintained by direct entorhinal-hippocampal circuitry".Science,296, 2089–2284.
  • Fyhn, M., Molden, S., Witter, M.P., Moser, E.I. and Moser, M.-B. (2004). "Spatial representation in the entorhinal cortex".Science,305, 1258–1264.
  • Leutgeb, S., Leutgeb, J.K., Treves, A., Moser, M.-B. and Moser, E.I. (2004). "Distinct ensemble codes in hippocampal areas CA3 and CA1".Science,305, 1295–1298.
  • Leutgeb, S., Leutgeb, J.K., Barnes, C.A., Moser, E.I., McNaughton, B.L., and Moser, M.-B (2005). "Independent codes for spatial and episodic memory in the hippocampus".Science,309, 619–623.
  • Hafting, T., Fyhn, M., Molden, S., Moser, M.-B., and Moser, E.I. (2005). "Microstructure of a spatial map in the entorhinal cortex".Nature,436, 801–806.
  • Sargolini, F., Fyhn, M., Hafting, T., McNaughton, B.L., Witter, M.P., Moser, M.-B., and Moser, E.I. (2006). "Conjunctive representation of position, direction and velocity in entorhinal cortex".Science,312, 754–758.
  • Leutgeb, J.K., Leutgeb, S., Moser, M.-B., and Moser, E.I. (2007). "Pattern separation in dentate gyrus and CA3 of the hippocampus".Science,315, 961–966.
  • Fyhn, M., Hafting, T., Treves, A., Moser, M.-B. and Moser, E.I. (2007). "Hippocampal remapping and grid realignment in entorhinal cortex".Nature,446, 190–194.
  • Hafting, T., Fyhn, M., Bonnevie, T., Moser, M.-B. and Moser, E.I. (2008). "Hippocampus-independent phase precession in entorhinal grid cells".Nature453, 1248–1252.
  • Kjelstrup, K.B., Solstad, T., Brun, V.H., Hafting, T., Leutgeb, S., Witter, M.P., Moser, E.I. and Moser, M.-B. (2008). "Finite scales of spatial representation in the hippocampus".Science321, 140–143.
  • Solstad, T., Boccara, C.N., Kropff, E., Moser, M.-B. and Moser, E.I. (2008). "Representation of geometric borders in the entorhinal cortex".Science,322, 1865–1868.
  • Moser, E.I., Moser, M.-B. (2011). "Crystals of the brain".EMBO Mol. Med.3, 1-4.
  • Moser, E.I., Moser, M.-B. (2011). "Seeing into the future".Nature,469, 303–304
  • Jezek, K., Henriksen, EJ., Treves, A., Moser, E.I. and Moser, M.-B. (2011). "Theta-paced flickering between place-cell maps in the hippocampus".Nature,478, 246–249.
  • Giocomo, LM., Moser, E.I., Moser, M.-B. (2011) "Grid cells use HCN1 channels for spatial scaling".Cell,147, 1159–1170.
  • Stensola, Hanne; Stensola, Tor; Solstad, Trygve; Frøland, Kristian; Moser, May-Britt; Moser, Edvard Ingjald. (2012) The entorhinal grid map is discretized.Nature.volum 492 (7427).
  • Bonnevie, Tora; Dunn, Benjamin Adric; Fyhn, Marianne; Hafting, Torkel; Derdikman, Dori Moshe; Kubie, J. L.; Roudi, Yasser; Moser, Edvard Ingjald; Moser, May-Britt. (2013) Grid cells require excitatory drive from the hippocampus.NatureNeuroscience. volum 16 (3).
  • Couey, Jonathan Jay; Witoelar, Aree Widya; Zhang, Sheng Jia; Zheng, Kang; Ye, Jing; Dunn, Benjamin Adric; Czajkowski, Rafal; Moser, May-Britt; Moser, Edvard Ingjald; Roudi, Yasser; Witter, Menno. (2013) Recurrent inhibitory circuitry as a mechanism for grid formation.NatureNeuroscience. volum 16 (3).
  • Lu, Li; Leutgeb, Jill Kristin; Tsao, Albert; Henriksen, Espen Joakim; Leutgeb, Stefan; Barnes, Carol; Witter, Menno; Moser, May-Britt; Moser, Edvard Ingjald. (2013) Impaired hippocampal rate coding after lesions of the lateral entorhinal cortex.Nature Neuroscience.volum 16 (8).
  • Moser, Edvard Ingjald; Moser, May-Britt. (2013) Grid Cells and Neural Coding in High-End Cortices.Neuron.volum 80 (3).
  • Rowland, David Clayton; Moser, May-Britt. (2013) Time Finds Its Place in the Hippocampus.Neuron.volum 78 (6).
  • Tsao, Albert; Moser, May-Britt; Moser, Edvard Ingjald. (2013) Traces of Experience in the Lateral Entorhinal Cortex.Current Biology.volum 23 (5).
  • Zhang, Sheng Jia; Ye, Jing; Miao, Chenglin; Tsao, Albert; Cerniauskas, Ignas; Ledergerber, Debora; Moser, May-Britt; Moser, Edvard Ingjald. (2013) Optogenetic Dissection of Entorhinal-Hippocampal Functional Connectivity.Science.volum 340 (6128).

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ab"May-Britt Moser profile: The 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine"(PDF).Nobel Prize Organisation. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 July 2018.
  2. ^May-Britt Moser profile,Academia-Net.org; accessed 7 October 2014.
  3. ^"The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2014".nobelprize.org.Retrieved7 February2017.
  4. ^Fenton, André A.(1 June 2015). "Coordinating with the" Inner GPS "".Hippocampus.25(6): 763–769.doi:10.1002/hipo.22451.ISSN1098-1063.PMID25800714.S2CID34277620.
  5. ^abc"May-Britt Moser – Facts".Nobel Foundation. 2014.
  6. ^abcd"May-Britt Moser – Biographical".Nobel Foundation. 2014.
  7. ^abcd"May-Britt Moser".Encyclopædia Britannica.8 May 2024.
  8. ^Gorman, James (29 April 2013)."A Sense of Where You Are".New York Times.Retrieved10 October2017.
  9. ^"Nobelpris-paret Moser skilles".vg.no.25 January 2016.
  10. ^"May-Britt Moser".Women who changed science home.Nobel Foundation.
  11. ^Moser, M-B. (1995).Structural correlates of spatial learning in the hippocampus of adult rats.Thesis for the degree of Ph.D, University of Oslo (Defended, 9 December 1995)
  12. ^"Gruppe IV Generell biologi"(in Norwegian).Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters.Archived fromthe originalon 10 December 2014.Retrieved6 October2014.
  13. ^"Gruppe 7: Medisinske fag"(in Norwegian).Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.Archived fromthe originalon 15 September 2018.Retrieved28 October2009.
  14. ^"APS Member History".search.amphilsoc.org.Retrieved1 March2021.
  15. ^"Medlemmer: Moser, May Britt"(in Norwegian).Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences.Retrieved11 May2013.
  16. ^""Best female Boss" – Madame Beyer award goes to May-Britt Moser ".NTNU Medesin og helse.Retrieved10 October2017.
  17. ^"May-Britt Moser – Biographical".Nobelprize.org: The Official Website of the Nobel Prize.Retrieved10 October2017.
  18. ^"The Anders Jahre Senior Medical Prize".Archived fromthe originalon 27 March 2020.Retrieved11 September2012.
  19. ^13th Perl-UNC Neuroscience Prize RecipientsArchived2 December 2013 at theWayback MachineUNC Neuroscience Center. Retrieved 23 September 2013
  20. ^"The Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize - Columbia University Irving Medical Center".cumc.columbia.edu.26 November 2013.
  21. ^Award CeremoniesAmphilsoc.org. Retrieved 21 March 2014
  22. ^"Utnevnelser til St. Olavs Orden".kongehuset.no(in Norwegian).Retrieved21 February2018.

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