Ann Graybiel

Ann Graybiel is a Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), leading the Graybiel Laboratory with groundbreaking research on basal ganglia function, striatal compartmentalization, and neural mechanisms of habit learning. Her work bridges fundamental neuroscience and clinical applications for Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, addiction, and neuropsychiatric disorders like OCD and Tourette syndrome.

Her core research areas include:

• Striatal compartment architecture (striosomes and matrisomes)
• Neural reorganization during habit formation and disruption
• Dopamine system interactions with basal ganglia circuits
• Gene expression changes in neuroplasticity and addiction
• Electrophysiological correlates of procedural learning

Major recognitions include:

• National Medal of Science (2001)
• MIT Killian Faculty Achievement Award (2002)
• Election to National Academy of Sciences (1988)
• Election to American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1991)
• Membership in National Academy of Medicine (1994)
• Fellowship in American Academy of Neurology (1997)

Dr. Graybiel directs a multidisciplinary research team investigating neural activity patterns during behavioral learning using rodent maze tasks and primate electrophysiology. Her laboratory pioneered the discovery of striatal chemical compartments and their role in dopamine regulation, with current work focusing on real-time neural reorganization during habit acquisition and breakdown. The Graybiel Laboratory employs integrated approaches including in vivo recordings, molecular techniques, and gene-based methods to study neuroplasticity in basal ganglia disorders.