Yale’s Rakic receives Connecticut Medal of Science

Pasko Rakic of the Yale School of Medicine has been awarded the 2019 Connecticut Medal of Science, the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering announced April 11.

Rakic, the Dorys McConnell Duberg Professor of Neuroscience and professor of neurology, was recognized for his work uncovering the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie the development of the cerebral cortex.

“The processes of neuronal production, migration, and synaptic connections in the developing brain that he identified have been implicated in developmental disorders of childhood onset, such as autism, intellectual disability, among many others,” the academy noted in its announcement. “His observations also have informed the understanding of psychiatric and neurologic disorders of adulthood including schizophrenia, dementia, and epilepsy. His pioneering work has set the stage for treatments that hope to target disturbances in brain development and that might have a transformative impact on the lives of patients, families, and society.”

He will receive the award on May 28 during the 44th Annual Meeting & Dinner of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering.

Rakic earned an M.D and Ph.D. from Belgrade University. He has been a recipient of the Kavli Prize in Neuroscience and is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, American Academy of Science, National Academy of Medicine, and numerous foreign academies, including those in Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom (Royal Academy).

The Connecticut Medal of Science is the state’s highest honor for scientific achievement in fields critical to social well-being. The award is bestowed by the State of Connecticut in collaboration with the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. A list of past winners can be found here.

The Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering was chartered by the General Assembly in 1976 to provide expert guidance on science and technology to the people and to the state of Connecticut, and to promote the application of science and technology to human welfare and economic well-being. For more information about the academy, visit its website.