Karl J. Friston facts for kids

Karl John Friston (born 12 July 1959) is a British scientist. He works at University College London. He is an expert in studying the brain and how it works.

Friston uses ideas from physics and statistics to understand brain scans. He helped create important ideas like the "free energy principle" and "active inference." These ideas help explain how the brain predicts and acts.

In brain imaging, he is famous for tools like "statistical parametric mapping" (SPM) and "dynamic causal modelling" (DCM). These tools help scientists understand how different parts of the brain work together. Friston is one of the most often cited scientists alive. In 2016, he was named the most influential neuroscientist by Semantic Scholar.

Early Life and Education

Karl Friston went to Ellesmere Port Grammar School from 1970 to 1977. He studied natural sciences, which included physics and psychology, at the University of Cambridge in 1980. Later, he completed his medical studies at King's College Hospital in London.

Career and Discoveries

After his studies, Friston trained in psychiatry at Oxford University. He is now a professor of neuroscience at University College London. He also works as a scientific director at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging.

Friston invented a method called statistical parametric mapping (SPM). SPM is a widely used tool for analyzing brain imaging data. It helps scientists see which parts of the brain are active during different tasks. In 1994, his team also developed voxel-based morphometry (VBM). VBM helps find differences in brain structure. Doctors use it to study brain conditions and in genetic research.

His work was inspired by research into schizophrenia and how the brain learns. In 1995, he helped create the "dysconnection hypothesis" of schizophrenia. This idea suggests that problems with how brain areas connect might cause schizophrenia.

In 2003, Friston invented dynamic causal modelling (DCM). DCM helps scientists figure out how different parts of the brain communicate with each other. His main contribution to understanding the brain is the "variational free energy principle." This principle suggests that the brain is always trying to predict what will happen next. It tries to reduce the "surprise" or "free energy" in its environment.

In 2020, he used his brain modeling tools to study how diseases spread. He applied dynamic causal modelling to understand epidemiological modelling. He also became a member of Independent SAGE. This group gave scientific advice during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, Friston was a guest on StarTalk, a podcast hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

Awards and Achievements

Karl Friston has received many awards for his important work.

• In 1996, he won the first Young Investigators Award in Human Brain Mapping.
• In 1999, he became a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
• He was President of the international Organization for Human Brain Mapping in 2000.
• In 2003, he received the Minerva Golden Brain Award.
• He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2006. This is a very high honor for scientists.
• In 2008, he received a Collège de France Medal.
• He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology in 2012.
• In 2013, he received the Weldon Memorial Prize and Medal for his work in mathematical biology.
• He was elected a member of EMBO in 2014 and the Academia Europaea in 2015.
• In 2016, he received the Charles Branch Award and the Glass Brain Award.
• He also has honorary doctorates from several universities around the world.