Mark J. Schnitzer, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of biological sciences and applied physics at Stanford University. He received a Ph.D. in physics from Princeton University in 1999. Schnitzer's goal is to understand the large-scale dynamics of neural circuits. Toward this end, his lab has invented a number of minimally invasive brain-imaging techniques based on fiber-optics and has been investigating mammalian neural circuits underlying locomotor coordination using a multidisciplinary approach that combines imaging, behavioral, anatomical, and computational studies. With his Pioneer Award, Schnitzer is pursuing an understanding of neural dynamics in the fruit fly, with a focus on neural circuits involved in sensorimotor decision-making. His multidisciplinary approach makes use of new technology for automated, laser-based tissue dissection and brain imaging in large numbers of flies, allowing him to perform innovative analyses of the biological basis for decision-making. Schnitzer's honors include fellowships from the Beckman, Klingenstein, Sloan, and Packard foundations and a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.
