Eminent neuroscientist appointed as Director of UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology

Professor Schuman is a Director of Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt. Her research has transformed our understanding of how neurons function, particularly through pioneering discoveries showing that proteins in the brain can be synthesised (created) locally at synapses (the junctions between brain cells), a process central to learning and memory.  

Professor Schuman has held senior academic positions at the California Institute of Technology and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute before joining Max Planck in 2009. Her contributions have been recognised with numerous international honours, including the prestigious Brain Prize, the Louis‑Jeantet Prize for Medicine and the Körber European Science Prize. Professor Schuman is also committed to promoting the professional advancement of women in neuroscience; in 2018, she received the Society for Neuroscience Mika Salpeter Lifetime Achievement Award for both her outstanding career achievements in neuroscience and for promoting the professional advancement of women in neuroscience.  

This appointment comes at a pivotal moment, as the Institute prepares to move into the new centre of excellence for translational neuroscience on Gray’s Inn Road, a world-class, purpose‑built facility that will bring UCL researchers together with clinicians and patients to accelerate life‑changing treatments for neurological diseases. 

Welcoming the appointment, Professor Alan Thompson, Dean of the Faculty of Brain Sciences, said: “I am delighted to welcome Professor Erin Schuman as the new Director of the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology. Professor Schuman is an internationally renowned neurobiologist whose research has transformed understanding of how neurons support learning and adaptation.  

“Professor Schuman will bring an exceptional combination of scientific vision, institutional leadership and strong commitment to collaboration and I am confident that under her direction, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology will continue to build on its position as a global leader in neuroscience research, education and clinical impact. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Mike Hanna for his many contributions as Director over the past 14 years. Under his direction, the Institute has reinforced its international reputation for translating fundamental neuroscience into meaningful advances in patient care, education and clinical practice.” 

Dr Michael Spence, UCL President & Provost, said: "Professor Schuman’s research has shaped understanding of brain function worldwide and we are delighted to have an academic of her stature in this crucial role.” 

Commenting on her appointment, Professor Schuman said: “It is a great honour to be appointed Director of the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology. The Institute has a remarkable legacy of discovery and clinical excellence, rooted in the close partnership between researchers, clinicians, educators and patients. I am excited to work with colleagues and students across the Institute and the wider Faculty to support translational research, and to help train the next generation of neuroscientists and clinical leaders.”

Links

• Professor Erin Schuman’s Max Planck Institute profile 
• UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology 
• Professor Michael Hanna’s academic profile 

Image

• Professor Erin Schuman. Copyright: Marcus Gloger / Körber-Stiftung