Greek Sydney-Based Professor Awarded by Prestigious Athens Academy

Greek-Australian neuroscientist, Professor George Paxinos, was awarded by the prestigious Athens Academy which is the greatest research institution in Greece. The original Academy was founded by Plato around 387 BC.

Professor Paxinos’ research into brain mapping has been recognized world-wide known. The Greek-Australian scientist has now finally been honored for his significant contribution to neuroscience.

It is not the first award given to eminent scientist but “it is the sweetest I’ve ever received because it comes from my first homeland,” commented Dr Paxinos.

Mr Paxinos, thanks to his great contribution to brain cartography, is often remarked as being the Ferdinand Magellan, the first European sailor who traveled from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

“Much like geographers need accurate map and coordinate systems to navigate the globe, so do scientists to navigate the brain,” he told to Neos Kosmos.

George Paxinos comes from wonderful Greek island of Ithaca. When he left the island, university was not one of his top priorities. He comments that he actually wanted to study but believed universities would never accept him. “I was actually the top student in my high school, but I assumed that children from Athens would be far better than me. For that reason I didn’t even attempt it,” continues the Greek neuroscientist.

He earned his bachelor’s degree at the UCLA Berkeley in the USA, his PhD at McGill University in Canada and spent a postdoctoral year at the prominent American Yale University. He later moved  to Australia to work as a Professor at the University of New South Wales.

Mr Paxinos has written 160 research papers and 42 books. His book entitled The Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates has been the third most-cited scientific book of all time.