Erin Schuman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Erin Schuman
Schuman in 2024
Born	(1963-05-15) May 15, 1963 (age 62) California
Alma mater	University of Southern California Princeton University
Known for	Local protein synthesis in dendrites
Awards	Beckman Young Investigators Award (1996) Salpeter Lifetime Achievement Award (2018) Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine (2020) Rosenstiel Award (2022) The Brain Prize (2023) Körber European Science Prize (2024)
Scientific career
Institutions	Max Planck Institute for Brain Research California Institute of Technology

Erin Margaret Schuman, born on May 15, 1963, in California, USA, is a brilliant neurobiologist. This means she is a scientist who studies the brain and nerves. She focuses on tiny connections between brain cells called synapses. Currently, she is a Director at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Germany.

Erin Schuman's Journey in Science

Erin Schuman started her studies at the University of Southern California (USC). She earned her first degree in Psychology in 1985. She then went on to get her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Princeton University in 1990.

After her Ph.D., Dr. Schuman did more research at Stanford University from 1990 to 1993. Later, she joined the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) as a professor. She worked her way up to become a Full Professor there. She also became an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. In 2009, she moved to Germany. She became a Director at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt. This is where she works today.

Discoveries About Brain Cells

Dr. Schuman's lab studies how brain cells work. They look at special instructions called mRNAs and building blocks called proteins. These are found all over a brain cell. Her team explores how brain connections (synapses) stay stable. They also study how these connections can quickly change. This helps them respond to new information.

Her research showed for the first time that brain cells make proteins right where they are needed. This is called "local protein synthesis." In 1996, Dr. Schuman and her student Hyejin Kang made a big discovery. They found that making proteins locally in parts of brain cells called dendrites is key. This process helps brain connections learn and adapt. This discovery helped start a whole new field of study.

Her team also found over 2,500 different mRNA instructions in the brain. These instructions are found in the "neuropil," a busy area of brain cells. Dr. Schuman and her partners also created new ways to study proteins. These new methods help scientists find and see newly made proteins in brain cells.

Helping Women in Science

Besides her amazing research, Erin Schuman also works to help other women in science. When she joined Max Planck, she made sure a new childcare center was built. This helps scientists who are also parents.

She also led a plan to get more women into leadership roles. Her goal was to double the number of female directors at the Max Planck Society. In 2018, she received an award for her efforts. It was called the Mika Salpeter Lifetime Achievement Award. This award recognized her teaching, mentoring, and support for others.

Awards and Special Honors

Erin Schuman has received many important awards for her work: