Michael T. Shipley

Biography

Dr. Shipley is one of the world’s leading experts on the neural organization of the olfactory bulb—the part of the brain that processes information about odors. His research centers on understanding the organization, function, and development of neural networks using the mammalian olfactory bulb as a model cortical network.Dr. Shipley has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 1982 and ranks above the 95th percentile in total funding over the past 30 years. Using advanced cell physiological and imaging methods, he and his research team at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have identified and defined the neuron types and their functional circuitry that comprise the glomerulus. The glomeruli are the neural circuits that encode raw odor sensory information into signals that engage higher brain networks to generate perception, motivation and behavior.In 2010, Dr. Shipley and his team collaborated with scientists from Hungary and Japan using these state-of-the-art approaches to create 3D reconstructions of intra- and interglomerular connections. His current research focuses on the cellular and network bases of olfactory coding. Dr. Shipley has published over 185 peer-reviewed papers, invited reviews, and book chapters.

Research Interest

Anatomy and Neurobiology