JERUSALEM, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- A Hebrew University brain researcher was awarded the U.S. Society for Neuroscience's (SfN) Swartz Prize for Theoretical and Computational Neuroscience, the university said in a statement issued Sunday.

Prof. Haim Sompolinsky received 25,000 U.S. dollars for his " significant cumulative contribution" to theoretical models in neuroscience, the statement said.

A veteran scientist at the university's Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, Sompolinsky's life-long research in brain theory relies on principles and methods of statistical physics and dynamical systems. He developed a "ring" model that serves as a key paradigm for modeling neural circuits and stands at the core of numerous studies of short-term memory, decision- making, selectivity and reception.

"His work, blending physics and neuroscience, has established innovative methods and set rigorous standards for advancing the field," said SfN President Dr. Susan Amara when presenting the prize at the organization's annual meeting late last month, according to the statement.

The Washington-based SfN has over 41,000 member researchers who study the brain and nervous system.

As an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Sompolinsky has won previous awards, including the Landau prize for Brain Science and the Hebrew University's President's Award for Outstanding Research.

Source:xinhuanet.com