Merzenich, Michael

Mike is a neuroscientist and inventor, and professor emeritus of Otolaryngology at the University of California at San Francisco. He earned his PhD in Physiology at Johns Hopkins Medical School in the lab of Vernon Mountcastle, studying neural coding of stimulus magnitude in the hairy skin. An expert on "brain plasticity," Mike has been awarded more than 50 patents. His group developed the first models of a commercial cochlear implant. He is a scientist and educator, and founder of Scientific Learning Corporation and Neuroscience Solutions Corporation, companies that develop therapeutic programs for the neurologically and psychiatrically impaired. Mike uses his understanding of brain plasticity to develop the underlying skills and abilities through experience and learning. As a software developer, he has contributed to the creation of a number of therapeutic training programs targeting impaired populations. Among his awards are the international Ipsen and Zülch Prizes, honoring his work in brain plasticity.