The Sammy Kuo Awards in Neuroscience honor the memory of Sammy Kuo, who died of a rare, progressive encephalitis in 2006. Established by the Sammy Kuo Memorial Fund, the awards encourage meritorious neuroscience research at the postdoctoral and graduate levels at Stanford, and serve as an inspiration as well as a profound reminder of the impact translational research has on patients and their families.
2022
Winners of the 2022 Sammy Kuo Award in Neuroscience at the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute Annual Symposium. From Left: Prof. Corinna Darian-Smith, Avin Veerakumar, Tal Iram, Emily Kubota, Felicity Gore, Kevin Kelley, and Wu Tsai Neuro Director Kang Shen. Not pictured: Daniel O'Shea, Omer Revah, Xulu Sun, Amelie Schafer.
(Photo credit: Fontejon Photography)
Postdoctoral Fellow
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Paper of the year - Tal Iram, Wyss-Coray Lab
"Young CSF restores oligodendrogenesis and memory in aged mice via Fgf17.", Nature, 2022 -
Second Place - Daniel O'Shea, Shenoy/Henderson Lab
"Cortical preparatory activity indexes learned motor memories", Nature, 2022 -
Third Place - Omer Revah, Felicity Gore, and Kevin Kelley, Pasca Lab
"Maturation and circuit integration of transplanted human cortical organoids", Nature, 2022
Graduate Student
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Paper of the year - Xulu Sun, Shenoy Lab
"Cortical preparatory activity indexes learned motor memories.", Nature, 2022 -
Second Place - Avin Veerakumar, Krasnow Lab
"Molecularly defined circuits for cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary control", Nature, 2022 -
Third Place - Amelie Schafer, Kuhl Lab
"Bayesian Physics-Based Modeling of Tau Propagation in Alzheimer's Disease", Frontiers in Physiology, 2022 -
Honorable Mention - Emily Kubota, Grill-Spector Lab
"White matter connections of high-level visual areas predict cytoarchitecture better than category-selectivity in childhood, but not adulthood", Cerebral Cortex, 2022
2021
Postdoctoral Fellow
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Paper of the Year – Frank Willett, Henderson/Shenoy Lab
"High-performance brain-to-text communication via handwriting", Nature, 2021 -
Second Place - Maya Mao-Nof, Gitler Lab
"p53 is a central regulator driving neurodegeneration caused by C9orf72 poly(PR)", Cell, 2021 -
Third Place Finalist - Daniel Pederick, Luo Lab
"Reciprocal repulsions instruct the precise assembly of parallel hippocampal networks", Science, 2021 -
Honorable Mention - Jinye Dai, Sudhof Lab
"GluD1 is a signal transduction device disguised as an ionotropic receptor", Nature, 2021
Graduate Student
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Paper of the Year - Eddy Albarran, Ding/Shatz Lab
"Enhancing motor learning by increasing the stability of newly formed dendritic spines in the motor cortex", Neuron, 2021 -
Second Place - Isabel Low, Giocomo Lab
"Dynamic and reversible remapping of network representations in an unchanging environment", Neuron, 2021 -
Third Place - Sam Vesuna and Isaac Kauvar (joint), Deisseroth Lab
"Deep posteromedial cortical rhythm in dissociation", Nature, 2020 -
Honorable Mention - Kevin Guttenplan, Gilter & Barres Lab
"Neurotoxic reactive astrocytes induce cell death via saturated lipids”, Nature, 2021
2020
Postdoctoral Fellow
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Paper of the Year - Sayaka Inoue, Shah Lab
"Periodic remodeling in a neural circuit governs timing of female sexual behavior", Cell, 2019 -
Second Place - Francis Willett, Shenoy Lab
"Hand knob area of premotor cortex represents the whole body in a compositional way", Cell, 2020 -
Third Place Finalist, Tie - Eleanor Cole, Hardan Lab
"Stanford accelerated intelligent neuromodulation therapy for treatment resistant depression", Am J Psychiatry, 2020 -
Third Place Finalist, Tie - Sergey Stavisky, Henderson Lab
"Neural ensemble dynamics in dorsal motor cortex during speech in people with paralysis", eLIFE, 2019 - Honorable Mention - Omer Revah, Pasca Lab
"Neuronal defects in a human cellular model of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome", Nature Medicine, 2020
Graduate Student
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Paper of the Year - Jiefu Li and Shuo Han (joint co-authors), Luo Lab and Beachy Lab
"Cell-surface proteomic profiling in the fly brain uncovers wiring regulators", Cell, 2020 -
Second Place - Xiang Wu, Hong Lab
"Sono-optogenetics facilitated by a circulation-delivered rechargeable light source for minimally invasive optogenetics", PNAS, 2019 -
Third Place - Colleen Rhoades, Chichilnisky Lab
"Unusual physiological properties of smooth monostratified ganglion cell types in primate retina", Neuron, 2019 -
Honorable Mention - Themasap Khan, Pasca Lab
"Neuronal defects in a human cellular model of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome", Nature Medicine, 2020 -
Honorable Mention - Cosmos Wang, Sudhof Lab
"A synaptic circuit required for acquisition but not recall of social transmission of food preference", Neuron, 2020
2019
Postdoctoral Fellow
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Paper of the Year - Yuan Zhang, Menon Lab
"Development of human emotion circuits investigated using a Big-Data analytic approach: Stability, reliability, and robustness" JNeurosci, 2019 -
Second Place - Eric Trautmann, Shenoy Lab
"Accurate Estimation of Neural Population Dynamics without Spike Sorting" Neuron, 2019 -
Third Place - Lu Sun, Clandinin Lab
"Spatiotemporal Control of CNS Myelination by Oligodendrocyte Programmed Cell Death through the TFEB-PUMA Axis", Cell, 2019 -
Honorable Mention - Eva Fischer, O'Connell Lab
"The neural basis of tadpole transport in poison frogs", The Royal Society Publishing, 2019
Graduate Student
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Paper of the Year - Biafra Ahanonu, Scherrer and Schnitzer Lab
"An amygdalar neural ensemble that encodes the unpleasantness of pain", Science, 2019 -
Second Place - Jeffrey Wang, Airan Lab
"Noninvasive Ultrasonic Drug Uncaging Maps Whole-Brain Functional Networks", Neuron, 2018 -
Third Place - William Allen, Deisseroth Lab
"Thirst regulates motivated behavior through modulation of brainwide neural population dynamics", Science, 2019 -
Honorable Mention - Daniel Birman, Gardner Lab
"A flexible readout mechanism of human sensory representations", Nature, 2019 -
Honorable Mention - Gregor Bieri, Gilter Lab
"LRRK2 modifies α-syn pathology and spread in mouse models and human neurons", Acta Neuropathol, 2019
2018
Postdoctoral Fellow
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Paper of the Year - Jessica Walsh, Malenka Lab
"5-HT release in nucleus accumbens rescues social deficits in mouse autism model", Nature, 2018 -
Second Place - Jones Parker, Schnitzer Lab
"Diametric neural ensemble dynamics in parkinsonian and dyskinetic states", Nature, 2018 -
Third Place - William Giardino, de Lecea Lab
"Parallel circuits from the bed nuclei of stria terminalis to the lateral hypothalamus drive opposing emotional states", Nature, 2018 -
Honorable Mention - Humsa Venkatesh - Monje Lab
"Targeting neuronal activity-regulated neuroligin-3 dependency in high-grade glioma", Nature, 2017
Graduate Student
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Paper of the Year - Lindsay Salay - Huberman Lab
"A midline thalamic circuit determines reactions to visual threat", Nature, 2018 -
Second Place - Caitlin Mallory - Giocomo Lab
"Grid scale drives the scale and long-term stability of place maps", Nature, 2018 -
Third Place - Saurabh Vyas - Shenoy Lab
"Neural Population Dynamics Underlying Motor Learning Transferl", Neuron, 2018
2017
Postdoctoral Fellow
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Paper of the Year - Tatiana Engel, Boahen and Moore Labs
"Selective modulation of cortical state during spatial attention", Science, 2016 -
Second Place - Mark Wagner, Luo and Schnitzer Labs
"Cerebellar granule cells encode the expectation of reward", Nature, 2017 -
Third Place - Christopher Makinson, Huguenard Lab
"Regulation of thalamic and cortical network synchrony by Scn8a", Neuron, 2017 -
Honorable Mention - Fikri Birey, Jimena Andersen and Christopher Makinson, Pasca and Huguenard Labs
"Assembly of functionally integrated human forebrain spheroids", Science, 2017
Graduate Student
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Paper of the Year - Lindsay Becker, Gitler Lab
"Therapeutic reduction of ataxin-2 extends lifespan and reduces pathology in TDB-43 mice", Nature, 2017 -
Second Place - Christina Kim, Deisseroth Lab
"Molecular and circuit-dynamical identification of top-down neural mechanisms for restraint of reward seeking", Cell, 2017 -
Third Place - Sergey Stavisky, Shenoy Lab
"Motor cortical visuomotor feedback activity is initially isolated from downstream targets in output-null neural state space dimensions ", Neuron, 2017
2016
Postdoctoral Fellow
- Paper of the year - Peng Li, Krasnow Lab
"The peptidergic control circuit for sighing", Nature, 2016.
Graduate Student
- Paper of the year - Nicholas Kramer, Gitler Lab
"Spt4 selectively regulates the expression of C9orf72 sense and antisense mutant transcripts", Science, 2016.
2015
Postdoctoral Fellow
- Paper of the year - Kevin Beier, Malenka and Luo labs
"Circuit architecture of VTA dopamine neurons revealed by systematic input-output mapping", Cell, 2013
Graduate Student
- Paper of the year - Kiah Hardcastle, Giocomo lab
"Environmental boundaries as an error correction mechanism for grid cells", Neuron, 2015
2014
Postdoctoral Fellow
- Paper of the year - Han Mi Lee, Shatz lab
"Synapse elimination and learning rules co-regulated by MHC class I H2-Db", Nature, 2014
Graduate Student
- Paper of the year - Matthew Figley, Gitler lab
"Profilin 1 associates with stress granules and ALS-linked mutations alter stress granule dynamic", Journal of Neuroscience, 2014
2013
Postdoctoral Fellow
- Paper of the year - Nan Yang, Wernig lab
"Generation of oligodendroglial cells by direct lineage conversion", Nature Biotechnology,2013.
Graduate Student
- Paper of the Year - Casey Guenther, Luo lab
"Permanent genetic access to transiently active neurons via TRAP: targeted recombination in active populations", Neuron, 2013
2012
Postdoctoral Fellow
- Papers of the Year - Nicola Allen, Barres lab
"Astrocyteglypicans 4 and 6 promote formation of excitatory synapses via GluA1 and AMPA receptors", Nature, 2012 - Papers of the Year - Sergiu Pasca, Dolmetsch lab
"Using iPSC-derived neurons to uncover cellular phenotypes associated with Timothy syndrome", Nature Medicine, 2012
Graduate Student
- Paper of the Year - Poh Hui Chia, Shen lab
"NAB-1 instructs synapse assembly by linking adhesion molecules and F-actin to active zone proteins", Nature Neuroscience, 2012
2011
Postdoctoral Fellow
- Paper of the Year - Kazunari Miyamichi, Luo lab
“Cortical representations of olfactory input by trans-synaptic tracing”, Nature, 2011
Graduate Student
- Paper of the Year - Saul Villeda, Wyss-Coray lab
“The aging systemic milieu negatively regulates neurogenesis and cognitive function”, Nature, 2011
2010
Postdoctoral Fellow
- Paper of the Year - Mark Churchland, Shenoy lab
“Stimulus onset quenches neural variability: a widespread cortical phenomenon”, Nature Neuroscience, 2010
Graduate Student
- Paper of the Year- Laura Prolo, Reimer lab
“The lysosomal sialic acid transporter sialin is required for normal CNS myelination”, Journal of Neuroscience, 2009
2009
Postdoctoral Fellow
- Paper of the Year, Qi Zhang, Tsien lab
“The dynamic control of kiss-and-run and vesicular reuse probed with single nanoparticles”, Science, 2009
Graduate Student
- Paper of the Year, Viviana Gradinaru and Murtaza Mogri, Deisseroth lab
“Optical deconstruction of Parkinsonian neural circuitry”,Science, 2009
2008
Postdoctoral Fellow
- Paper of the Year - Antoine Adamantidis, de Lecea lab
“Neural substrates of awakening probed with optogenetic control of hypocretin neurons”, Nature, 2007
Graduate Student
- Paper of the Year - Alex Katsov, Clandinin lab
“Motion processing streams in Drosophila are behaviorally specialized”, Neuron, 2008
