Cornelia Bargmann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cori Bargmann
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| Born |
Cornelia Isabella Bargmann
January 1, 1961 Virginia, U.S.
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| Education | University of Georgia (BS) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MS, PhD) |
| Known for | Olfaction research |
| Spouse(s) | Richard Axel |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biochemistry Cancer systems biology Neurobiology |
| Institutions | Rockefeller University |
| Doctoral advisor | Robert Weinberg |
| Other academic advisors | H. Robert Horvitz |
Cori Bargmann (born January 1, 1961) is a famous American neurobiologist. She studies how our brains and genes control behavior. Cori is especially known for her work on how tiny worms, called C. elegans, use their sense of smell.
She has received many important awards for her discoveries. These include the $1 million Kavli Prize in 2012 and the $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences in 2013. She was also a lead scientist at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
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Early Life and Education
Cori Bargmann was born in Virginia, USA. She grew up in Athens, Georgia. Her parents came from Europe. Cori was one of four sisters. Her father, Rolf Bargmann, was a statistician and computer scientist.
From a young age, Cori loved learning. She played the piano and read many books. She says her family was "frighteningly well educated." Her older sister studying medicine inspired her to go into science. Growing up during the space age also made her love science even more.
Cori went to the University of Georgia. In 1981, she earned a degree in biochemistry. She gained lab experience there. Later, she went to MIT. In 1987, she earned her Ph.D. in Biology. She studied how cells can become cancerous. Her work helped understand Ras and neu genes. This research later led to important treatments for breast cancer.
Discovering How Brains Work
After MIT, Cori Bargmann did more research at MIT. She worked with H. Robert Horvitz. She started studying the tiny worm C. elegans. These worms are very small, but they have a sense of smell! Cori made big discoveries about how worms smell.
In 1995, Cori became a professor at UCSF. She continued to study how worms behave. She focused on how their sense of smell works at a tiny, molecular level. She found genes in worms that are similar to those that help humans smell. Her work showed how genes control complex behaviors, like how worms find food.
Cori also discovered a special molecule called SYG-1. This molecule helps neurons (brain cells) connect with each other. These connections are super important for how our brains develop and work.
Moving to Rockefeller University
In 2004, Cori Bargmann moved to Rockefeller University. She wanted more time to focus on her research. She was a scientist for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute until 2016. Then, she became the Head of Science for the CZI.
Cori's lab at Rockefeller University still uses the C. elegans worm. These worms have an amazing sense of smell. By studying them, Cori and her team learn how genes control brain development, how brains work, and how they lead to different behaviors. Her important work has earned her many awards. She was even elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
Cori Bargmann is married to Richard Axel. He is also a scientist who studies the sense of smell. He even won a Nobel Prize!
Awards and Honors
Cori Bargmann has received many awards for her amazing work. Here are some of them:
- 1997 - Taskago Prize for her research on smell.
- 2002 - Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
- 2003 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences.
- 2012 - Kavli Prize in neuroscience.
- 2013 - Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for her work on genes, brain circuits, and behavior.
- 2015 - Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Sciences.
- 2024 - Gruber Neuroscience Prize.
See also
In Spanish: Cornelia Bargmann para niños
Images for kids
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Cori Bargmann at a science conference.
