Michael Petrides is a neuroscientist who has pioneered cross-species studies on humans and monkeys in his research. His work has deepened our understanding of the structure and functions of the frontal lobes of the brain. He has produced modern maps of the frontal cortex that are widely used by other neuroscientists.
He researches the function of the different areas of the brain’s frontal cortex and their interaction with the parietal and temporal areas in planning and working memory. He discovered that part of the frontal cortex tracks information in working memory whilst other parts select information for retrieval. He also showed that monkeys have a language area in the brain similar to that found in humans.
Michael has won several awards, including the James S. McDonnell Foundation 21st Century Scientist Award: Bridging Brain, Mind and Behavior in 2001. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.