Julian Jack facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Julian Jack
FMedSci FRS
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| Born |
James Julian Bennett Jack
25 March 1936 Invercargill, New Zealand
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| Education | University of Otago (MMedSci, PhD) University of Oxford (BM, MA) |
| Awards | Rhodes Scholarship |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | |
| Institutions | University of Oxford |
| Thesis | Inhibition and excitation in the mammalian spinal cord (1960) |
| Doctoral students | |
Julian Jack, born on March 25, 1936, is a scientist from New Zealand. He is a physiologist, which means he studies how living things work, especially the human body. His main area of study is how our brain and nerves send messages.
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Julian Jack's Early Life and Learning
Studying at University
Julian Jack went to the University of Otago in New Zealand. He earned his PhD degree there in 1960. A PhD is a very high university degree that shows someone is an expert in their field.
A Special Scholarship
After his studies in New Zealand, Julian Jack received a special award called a Rhodes Scholarship in 1960. This scholarship allowed him to study at Magdalen College, Oxford University in England. He earned more degrees there in 1963.
What Julian Jack Studied
Understanding Nerve Cells
Julian Jack's research focuses on cellular neuroscience. This is the study of how individual nerve cells, called neurons, work. He wanted to understand how these tiny cells communicate with each other.
How Messages Travel in Your Body
His work explores how chemical and electrical signals move through our neural networks. These networks are like superhighways in our body, found in places like the spinal cord and the cerebral cortex (the outer part of our brain).
Even though neurons form huge networks, they don't actually touch. When one nerve cell is active, it releases tiny particles called ions or chemicals called neurotransmitters. These chemicals then travel across a tiny gap, called a synapse, to the next nerve cell. This process activates the next cell, keeping the signal moving.
Using Math and Experiments
Julian Jack uses both experiments and mathematical models to study this process, called synaptic transmission. He uses special methods to record the electrical activity of nerves. He also uses math to understand how the central and outer parts of our nervous system work.
Helping with Brain Disorders
His research into how nerves send messages helps us understand disorders of the nervous system. These include conditions like Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis. His work could help doctors diagnose these conditions better in the future.
Julian Jack's Teaching Career
Julian Jack worked as a teacher and researcher at the University Laboratory of Physiology at the University of Oxford. He taught many students who went on to become important scientists themselves. Some of his former students include David Attwell, Michael Hausser, and Dimitri Kullmann.
Awards and Special Recognition
Julian Jack has received several important awards for his scientific work.
- In 1997, he was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very high honor for scientists in the United Kingdom.
- In 1998, he became a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci). This recognizes his important contributions to medical science.
