Professor Cliff Abraham awarded the 2022 Marsden Medal
We are so proud to congratulate ABP co-lead Professor Cliff Abraham on being presented the Marsden Medal by the New Zealand Association of Scientists in December 2022.
You can read an article celebrating Cliff’s achievement on the University of Otago website here.
From the Centre for Brain Research (CBR) at the University of Auckland:
“The CBR would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Prof Wickliffe Abraham (Otago) for his award of the 2022 Marsden Medal recently presented by the New Zealand Association of Scientists for a lifetime of outstanding service to science.
Cliff has been a long time supporter of the CBR as a member of our International Science Advisory board and was Co-Director of the Centre of Research Excellence Rangahau Roro Aotearoa - Brain Research New Zealand from 2015-21 and the follow on initiative Kaupapa Roro o Aotearoa - Aotearoa Brain Project.
Cliff is an eminent New Zealand neuroscientist and a world leading expert on the mechanisms of memory formation, neuroplasticity and synaptic metaplasticity in the brain. His 1983 Nature paper was a hallmark publication, which showed for the first time that memory storage in the brain involves the strengthening of synaptic connections between nerve cells utilising neurophysiological principles of balancing synaptic potentiation and depression. This revolutionary finding in anaesthetised rodents was extended and confirmed in 1994 in awake, free moving animals and showed the universality of this principle to the awake, conscious brain.
This revolutionary work set the stage for his extraordinary, ongoing scientific career, across a broad spectrum of multidisciplinary studies – including in vivo electrophysiology in awake animals, in vitro brain slice cultures, electron microscopy, gene expression and protein synthesis studies – to unravel the role of genes and protein expression in the very complex heterogeneous mechanisms that underpin memory formation.
His scientific contributions are world leading, and were recognised by the University of Otago in awarding him the 2009 Distinguished Research Medal. His international standing is evidenced by his FRSNZ, prestigious international NIMH and NATO Postdoctoral Fellowships, and the James Cook Fellowship from the Royal Society of New Zealand.
He is also an outstanding leader in neuroscience in NZ/Australia: He is the NZ representative on the Council of Scientists, Human Frontiers Science Programme; director of HRC Programme grants for over 22 years; Co-Director of the Centre of Research Excellence Rangahau Roro Aotearoa - Brain Research New Zealand from 2015-21; 2019-2020 President of the Australasian Neuroscience Society; and the 2020-2021 Raine/Forrest Foundation Distinguished Fellowship by the University of Western Australia.
The award was also recognition of his contribution to mentoring young neuroscientists, integration and collaboration within the neuroscience research community in Aotearoa New Zealand, supporting diversity in neuroscience research and engagement with Māori. This mahi supports the development of a neuroscience workforce that mirrors the communities it serves and facilitates translational neuroscience research that achieves equitable brain health outcomes for all New Zealanders. This commitment to human connections, empowerment, and co-governance further characterise Cliff’s record of outstanding, broad contributions to neuroscience research and its impact.
Above all else, Cliff is very humble and modest, has integrity, is a wonderful humanitarian and is the ultimate team leader – he gives accolades to others before himself. Through his innovative world leading scientific contributions in neuroscience, together with his outstanding and exemplary leadership, Cliff is held in the very highest regard by all his national and international colleagues for the quality and breadth of his science and his outstanding leadership contributions.”