Eric Kandel: A Viennese scientist celebrates 95 years full of discoveries

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The celebrated scientist Eric Kandel, known for his groundbreaking discoveries in memory research, commits his 95th birthday today. Kandel was born in Vienna on November 7, 1929 and emigrated to the United States with his Jewish family in front of the National Socialists in 1939. His life path led him from the difficult beginnings in Europe to a career that made him one of the most important doctors of the 21st century.

After Kandel first studied history and literature at Harvard University, he moved to New York University in 1952, where he studied medicine and did his doctorate in 1956. He completed his training as a psychiatrist in the Massachusetts Mental Health Center, where he continued to deal with the neurological foundations of memory.

important discoveries in the field of memory

Together with his colleagues Arvid Carlsson and Paul Greengard, Kandel received the Medical Nobel Prize for his research work on signal transmission in the nervous system. These discoveries have not only revolutionized science, but also far -reaching effects on the treatment of memory disorders.

Kandel has also actively campaigned for the processing of the National Socialist past in Austria. In 2003 he initiated a symposium in Vienna, which illuminated the consequences of the Nazi regime for research and education. Another important step was his support for the renaming of the Dr. Karl Lueger Ring in "University Ring", which was realized in 2012.

Kandel feels closely connected to his homeland. Shortly before his 90th birthday, he said that he felt "quite comfortable with his Viennese past". In 2019 he was honored by the city of Vienna with the "Golden Rathausmann", and only recently, in February 2024, he received the "Great Golden Medal of Honor on the ribbon for deserved for the Republic of Austria".

Furthermore, it was decided to name the new Center for Precision Medicine at the Medical University of Vienna. The Eric Kandel Institute is currently being built at the AKH site and is said to be completed by the end of 2026.

For more information about Eric Kandels impressive life's work and the latest developments in his institute, you will find here .