Peter L. Strick, PhD, is Thomas Detre Professor and Chair of the Department of Neurobiology, Scientific Director of the Brain Institute, and Co-Director of the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh. He heads the NIH-funded Center for Neuroanatomy with Neurotropic Viruses, which provides the neuroscience community with highly specialized reagents, training, and facilities for the use of viruses as transneuronal tracers.
Dr. Strick’s research focuses on three major topics: (a) the motor areas of the cerebral cortex—their involvement in movement generation and control, as well as in motor skill acquisition and retention; (b) the motor, cognitive and affective functions of the basal ganglia and cerebellum; and (c) the neural basis for the brain-body connection. Dr. Strick received the Cajal Club’s Krieg Cortical Kudos Discover Award in 2019 and an NIH Director’s Transformative Research Award in 2018. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2012.