D. James Surmeier, PhD

D. James Surmeier is the Nathan Smith Davis Professor and Chair of Neuroscience at Northwestern University, where he leads a research program on molecular, cellular, and network mechanisms in basal ganglia circuits in health and disease. Using electrophysiological, optical, and genetic approaches in mouse models, his group has defined how dopamine and other neuromodulators shape intrinsic and synaptic plasticity and how these processes are altered in Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and chronic pain. His work has revealed mechanisms of selective neuronal vulnerability in Parkinson’s disease, motivating large-scale clinical trials and efforts to develop next-generation disease-modifying therapies. Supported by NIH, DOD, MJFF, and other funders, he also serves on editorial boards of leading journals and has trained dozens of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, many from underrepresented groups, through programs focused on motor systems and movement disorders.