Edwin Furshpan

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Edwin Furshpan while at Caltech studied aspects of sensory and motor systems in crustacea, receiving his doctorate in animal physiology and embryology. At University College London, with Dr. David Potter, Furshpan found that signals are conveyed across certain synapses, not by the release of a chemical neurotransmitter, but by the direct electrical spread of the nerve impulse. In 1959 Furshpan headed to Harvard Medical School where, in 1966, he was instrumental in the creation of a new department of neurobiology. He became professor there in 1969. In addition to varied research interests, Dr. Furshpan has had a serious interest in teaching neuroscience to medical students and developing case-based curricula, in integrated courses that combine preclinical and clinical aspects of neuroscience.