Dr. Catharine Rankin, a professor in UBC’s department of psychology, has been honoured with the prestigious Gantt Medal from the Pavlovian Society. The Gantt Medal is awarded to individuals who have made distinguished contributions in psychology, physiology, and related fields through Pavlovian principles.
Dr. Rankin is internationally recognized for her research using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). She was the first to demonstrate that this model organism can learn and retain memories, identifying crucial genes involved in these processes. Her work employs behavioural, neural circuit, and genetic analyses to explore how experience modifies the nervous system, particularly in understanding habituation, the simplest form of learning.
Dr. Catharine Rankin receiving the award at the Pavlovian Society Annual Meeting in Indianapolis in September 2024.
Reflecting on her achievement, Dr. Rankin expressed her gratitude:
“This is the top award for the society and I am very honoured to have received it. Many of my heroes and role models have won the award in the past and winning it is very meaningful to me.”
Join us in congratulating Dr. Rankin on this honour!
