The identification of the brain's internal navigation system marked a shift in understanding how mammals map their physical environment. Edvard Moser, alongside his long-term collaborator May-Britt Moser and mentor John O'Keefe, revealed that specific neurons function as a biological GPS. This discovery fundamentally altered the study of neurophysiology and spatial memory within the mammalian cortex.
Academic Foundation
Born in 1962 in Ålesund, Norway, Moser pursued his interest in psychology at the University of Oslo, where he earned a degree in 1990. He continued his training within the Faculty of Medicine, completing a doctoral research degree in neurophysiology in 1995. His early academic formation included intensive studies in mathematics and statistics, alongside laboratory experience under the supervision of Per Andersen. Following his doctoral work, Moser held a postdoctoral position at the University of Edinburgh with Richard G. Morris and completed a short fellowship at University College London with John O'Keefe.
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In 1996, Moser joined the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim as an associate professor of biological psychology. By 1998, he was promoted to professor of neuroscience. His career at the institution led to the establishment of the Moser research environment, a collection of research groups and centers. He served as the director of the Centre for the Biology of Memory and the Centre for Neural Computation, and he currently leads the Centre for Algorithms in the Cortex.
Grid Cells and Neural Mapping
The primary contribution of Moser's laboratory involves the discovery of grid cells in the medial entorhinal cortex, announced in 2005. These neurons form a coordinate system, acting as a metric for spatial navigation. In 2018, his team further identified neural networks in the lateral entorhinal cortex that represent time during memory formation. These findings were recognized with the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, acknowledging the work on the brain's positioning system.
Fast facts
- Born: 1962, Ålesund Municipality, Norway
- Education: University of Oslo
- Employer: Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- Major Discovery: Grid cells (2005)
- Nobel Prize: Physiology or Medicine, 2014
- Professional Membership: National Academy of Sciences
Questions readers ask
What is the primary function of grid cells?
Grid cells are specialized neurons that provide the brain with a coordinate system and a metric for space.
Which major award did Edvard Moser receive in 2014?
He was a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Achievements
- Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine — 2014
- Held posts at Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- Educated at University of Oslo
- Fields of research: neuroscience
