Dr. John Morrison of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai began his term on January 1 as editor-in-chief of BrainFacts.org, a public information initiative of The Kavli Foundation, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, and the Society for Neuroscience. Morrison joins an editorial board composed of leading neuroscientists from across the globe in providing guidance on content development, ensuring scientific validity, and facilitating engagement from the scientific community.
In less than three years, BrainFacts.org has helped transform the neuroscience field’s ability to share accurate and accessible information about the brain with a global public. Since launch, nearly 2.5 million people have accessed more than 5.25 million articles, images, and videos about the brain on BrainFacts.org. Nearly 50 percent of site traffic comes from outside the United States, with recent increases in access from India, Pakistan, and Mexico. Driving the site’s continued growth and innovation are an expanding presence on social media, an active blog led by SfN members, and emerging strategies for greater incorporation of multimedia content and engagement opportunities.
Morrison serves as professor of neuroscience, professor of geriatrics and palliative medicine, and dean of basic sciences and the graduate school of biomedical sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. His scientific work focuses on synaptic plasticity, the aging brain, and the synaptic basis of age-related cognitive decline. Morrison has a long history of leadership in the public communication of science, including engaging policymakers, educators, and patient groups, as well as a sustained interest in helping convey the importance of animal research.
His volunteer service with SfN includes roles as councillor from 2010-2013 and chair of the three SfN committees dedicated to educating and engaging the public. Morrison served as chair of the Public Education and Communication Committee during the BrainFacts.org launch in 2012 and was a member of the advisory group that helped conceptualize BrainFacts.org and forge a relationship with the site’s founding partners.
