gittisAryn Gittis, assistant professor of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University and a member of the CNBC faculty, will receive the Eberly Family Career Development Professorship in Biological Sciences on May 5, 2016. The Eberly family’s philanthropy has supported Carnegie Mellon and other colleges and universities through scholarships, professorships and other educational initiatives.

Established in 1993, the Eberly Family Career Development Professorship in Biological Sciences was divided into two chairs in 1997. These professorships help to recruit, retain and recognize exceptional biological sciences faculty in the Mellon College of Science.

Aryn is a neuroscientist who studies the neural circuitry of the basal ganglia, a brain system involved in movement, learning, motivation and reward.

Dysfunction of neural circuits in the basal ganglia is thought to play a role in neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and dystonia. Gittis’ lab uses a variety of techniques including electrophysiology, optogenetics, histology and behavior to understand how these circuits affect motor control.