Paola Arlotta, a professor in the department of stem cell and regenerative biology at Harvard University, has been awarded the George Ledlie Prize for her work studying the embryonic brain in health and disease. The prize is awarded by the president and Fellows of Harvard College. The prize was established in 1927 and is awarded to a scholar who “has by research, discovery or otherwise made the most valuable contribution to science, or in any way for the benefit of mankind.”
Professor Arlotta’s research investigates how the brain develops and what happens to it when development goes awry, such as in autism spectrum disorder and other conditions. Her work focuses on the cerebral cortex, which controls some of the brain’s most complex functions, including language, sensation, and cognition.
Professor Arlotta received a master’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Trieste in Italy. She holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Portsmouth in England.
Below is a video of Professor Arlotta discussing her work.