معرفی
William Newsome is the Harman Family Provostial Professor of Neurobiology at Stanford University School of Medicine, where he also holds a courtesy appointment in Psychology. As Founding Director of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute (2013–2021), he advanced interdisciplinary neuroscience research. He received a B.S. in physics (Stetson University) and a Ph.D. in biology (Caltech), and his work bridges systems/cognitive neuroscience, visual perception, and decision-making.
- Research Focus: Neural mechanisms of perception, cognition, and behavior; decision-making processes; computational modeling; nonhuman primate models.
- Leadership: NIH BRAIN working group co-chair, Scientific Advisory Board (Weizmann Institute), former director of Wu Tsai Institute.
His lab studies how cortical neurons mediate visual perception and decisions, combining behavioral experiments, electrophysiology, and computational models. Recent work explores brain region-specific control of choice behavior via ultrasound and task representation in neural networks. Publications span Neuron encoding, decision bounds, and genetically modified primates in neuroscience.
Scientific Awards:
- Rank Prize in Optoelectronics (1992)
- Dan David Prize (2004)
- Champalimaud Vision Award (2010)
- Elected to National Academy of Sciences (2000)
- Guggenheim Fellowship (1995)
Advising & Grants: Mentored numerous doctoral students and postdocs, and secured grants from NIH, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Wellcome Trust. His teaching includes Social and Ethical Issues in the Neurosciences and Understanding Techniques in Neuroscience.
Labs & Collaborations: Leads the Neurosciences Building Lab at Stanford, collaborating with institutions like Columbia University, Caltech, and UCSD's Kavli Institute. Focus areas: cortical circuits, cognitive flexibility, dynamic decision-making in primates.
