Research

Research Priorities: Neuroscience, mechanism of spatial orientation, natural navigation system, grid cells, speed cells

Edvard Moser is a neuroscientist. He is known for his work on spatial orientation and spatial memory. Together with May-Britt Moser he discovered a type of brain cell (grid cells) that enables precise orientation in space. This made it possible to demonstrate thinking capacity at a neuronal level for the first time. For the discovery of grid cells Edvard Moser and May-Britt Moser received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2014, together with John O’Keefe.

Edvard Moser researches how mammals orientate themselves in spaces. He studies the neural network computations within the brain’s cortex, for which thousands of distinct neurons work together. Together with May-Britt Moser he discovered previously unknown nerve cells in the brains of rats that work like a natural navigation system. The ”grid cells” place a virtual coordinate grid of hexagons over the perceived environment. By means of this grid the brain can calculate its position in space. This is the first time that the two researchers have been able to demonstrate thinking capacity at a neuronal level. In further studies they also identified “border cells”. These become active when animals approach obstacles and walls.

Edvard and May-Britt Moser have thus explained essential principles of the orientation system in rodents. The grid and border cells they discovered are involved in interaction with other cells. These include head-direction cells and place cells, which send signals when an animal passes known locations and landmarks. Together, the cell types are assumed to create a kind of map of the spatial environment. In more recent studies, they have also discovered cells that indicate walking speed, known as speed cells. For this they investigated the brain activity of rats at different walking speeds. As speed increases the speed cells become more active.

Edvard Moser and May-Britt Moser received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2014 for the discovery of grid cells. They share the award with the British-US neuroscientist John O‘Keefe, who identified the brain’s place cells. The results of research by Edvard Moser and May-Britt Moser could advance research into Alzheimer’s disease. The areas of the brain relating to orientation are the first to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Patients lose their ability to orient themselves first. When we understand on which neuronal basis spatial orientation takes place, new approaches to therapy can be developed on this basis.

Previous research has been focused on the conversion of visual and auditory stimuli into active patterns in the brain. These findings are limited to the first stages of sensory perception. How information is transferred at a higher level is subject to other processes and is still to be thoroughly unstood. Deciphering the coding of this information transfer is the focus of Edvard Moser’s current research.

Career

• since 2013 Founding Vice Director, Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex, Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience (KISN), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
• 2013-2022 Founding Vice Director, Centre for Neural Computation and Co-Director, Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience (KISN), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
• since 2018 Einstein Visiting Fellow, Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), Berlin, Germany
• since 2007 Founding Director, KISN, Trondheim, Norway
• 2002-2012 Founding Director, Centre for the Biology of Memory, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
• since 1998 Professor of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
• 1996-1998 Associate Professor, Biological Psychology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
• 1994-1996 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh and University College London (UCL), London, UK
• 1995 PhD in Neurophysiology, University of Oslo (UiO), Oslo, Norway
• 1991-1995 Research Associate, UiO, Oslo, Norway
• 1984-1990 Degree in Mathematics, Statistics, Neurobiology and Psychology, UiO, Oslo, Norway

Functions

• since 2020 International Scientific Advisory Board, Chinese Institute of Brain Research, Beijing, China
• since 2019 International Steering Committee, Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Science, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel
• since 2015 Foreign Scientific Member, Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology, Planegg, Germany
• since 2013 Member, Board of Directors, Centre of Excellence, Ministry of Education and Research, Norway
• 2013-2016 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Ernst Strüngmann Forum, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
• 2012-2016 Member, Advisory Board, Society for Neuroscience, Washington D.C., USA
• Member, Selection Panel, Starting Grants, European Research Council (ERC)
• 2012-2013 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Picower Center for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute for Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA
• 2011‐2015 Member, Editorial Board, BrainFacts.org
• 2010-2014 Editor, Current Opinion in Neurobiology
• Member, European Dana Alliance for Brain Research (EAN)
• 2005-2006 Chairperson, Programme Committee, Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS)
• 2002-2012 Member, Board of Directors, Centre of Excellence, Ministry of Education and Research, Norway
• Member, Editorial Boards: Hippocampus, Faculty of 1000, Neuron, Learning and Memory, F1000 Research

Projects

• since 2023 Centre of Excellence, Norwegian Research Council, Norway
• since 2021 Founding Vice Director, Synergy Grant “Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex” at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel, ERC
• 2014-2019 Principal Investigator, Advanced Grant “GRIDCODE – Cortical maps for space”, 7th         Research Framework Programme (FRP), ERC
• 2013-2015 Coordinator, Project, “ICT Future Emerging Technologies”, 7th FRP, ERC
• 2009-2013 Principal Investigator, Advanced Grant “CIRCUIT – Neural circuits for space representation in the mammalian cortex”, 7th FRP, ERC
• 2008-2012 Project “HEALTH-2007-2.2.1-2: Coding in neuronal assemblies”, 7th FRP, ERC
• 2000-2003 Coordinator, Project “Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources Work Program / Research and technological development activities of a generic nature”, 5th FRP, ERC

Honours and Memberships

• since 2023 Foreign Member, Royal Society, UK
• 2021 Honorary Fellow, Royal Institute of Navigation, UK
• 2020 Gunnerus Medal, Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters, Norwegen
• 2018 Grand Cross, Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, Norway
• since 2016 Member, National Academy of Medicine, USA
• since 2016 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• since 2015 Member, National Academy of Science, USA
• since 2015 Member, American Philosophical Society, USA
• 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (together with May-Britt Moser and John O’Keefe), Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
• 2014 Karl Spencer Lashley Award, American Philosophical Society, USA
• 2013 Fridtjof Nansen Award of Outstanding Research in Science and Medicine, Norwegian Academy of Science, Norway
• 2013 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize for Biology or Biochemistry, Columbia University, New York City, USA
• 2013 Perl-UNC Neuroscience Prize, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA
• 2012 Elected Councilor, Society for Neuroscience, Washington D.C., USA
• 2011 Louis-Jeantet Prize for Medicine, Louis-Jeantet Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland
• 2011 Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), USA
• 2011 Anders Jahre Senior Medical Prize, UiO, Oslo, Norway
• since 2011 Member, European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO)
• since 2011 Member, Academia Europaea
• since 2010 Member, Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences (NTVA), Norway
• 2008 Eric K. Fernström Prize, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
• 2006 Betty and David Koetser Award for Brain Research, Betty and David Koetser Foundation for Brain Research, Zurich, Switzerland
• 2006 Liliane Bettencourt Prize for Life Sciences, Bettencourt Schueller Foundation, Paris, France
• 2005 W. Alden Spencer Prize, Columbia University, New York City, USA
• since 2004 Member, Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (DNVA), Norway
• since 2003 Member, Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters (DKNVS), Norway
• 1999 Scientific Annual Prize, DKNVS, Norway