KAUST is proud to announce that its Vice President of Research, Distinguished Professor Pierre Magistretti, has given the 2023 Nansen Neuroscience Lecture. The lecture, which was held on October 10, 2023, at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters in Oslo, highlights his discovery of the astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle, which created a major paradigm shift in the neurosciences.

Professor Magistretti spoke about the lactate shuttle and its role in brain physiology and brain pathology. Although the brain occupies only 2% of the body's mass, it consumes approximately 25% of its energy. How the brain consumes this energy has been a focal point for many neuroscientists. His breakthrough finding explains how astrocytes feed neurons lactate as a primary energy source. Consistently, he later showed that depriving neurons of lactate affects memory and cognition.

Not only has the astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle provided new insights into neuroenergetics, but it also rewrote the function of astrocytes, which are the most abundant cell type of the central nervous system.

“I am deeply honored to have been selected for the 2023 Nansen Neuroscience Lecture and have the opportunity to present in such a prestigious venue my work and modest contribution to the daunting challenge to understand the intricacies of brain function,” said Magistretti.

Since 2010, the Nansen Neuroscience Network has annually invited one or two leaders of the field to give the Nansen Neuroscience Lecture. Based in Norway, the network fosters innovation in the neurosciences by bringing together basic and clinical researchers from academia and industry.