Dr. Gary Gibson was the 1982 recipient of the Jordi-Folch-Pi Memorial Award.Dr. Gibson received the award for his studies on metabolic encephalopathies in which he has demonstrated a linkage between neurotransmitter synthesis and oxidative metabolism. In particular, he used both in vivo and in vitro model systems to elucidate the pathogenetic mechanisms in different types of hypoxia. Many scientists are studying changes in neurotransmitters and in oxidative metabolism in brain, but it was felt that Dr. Gibson’s approach of relating these two areas represented a unique and important contribution. His basic neurochemical studies have broad clinical implications for understanding the degenerative changes in aging as well as in stroke.

     Dr. Gibson received his BS degree in zoology and chemistry from the University of Wyoming. He received his PhD in physiology with an emphasis on biochemistry and neuroscience at Cornell University. He then worked as a postdoctoral fellow at UCLA. After a period of time on the faculty at UCLA, he moved back to Cornell University Medical College and the Burke Medical Research Institute where he has been ever since. Currently, Dr. Gibson is a Professor of Neuroscience at Cornell Medical College at Burke Medical Research Institute.

     His research is currently focused on the role of metabolism, oxidative stress and signaling cascades in normal brain function and in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease.  He uses a variety of animal and cell models with molecular and imaging techniques to approach these questions. He has presented many lectures and honorary lectures including the Dean's hour at Cornell University Medical College, the NIH Director's Talk and the Visek Lectureship at the University of Illinois. Dr. Gibson has served on over 20 NIH review panels for reviewing grants and he regularly reviews grants for the Alzheimer Association and the American Federation for Aging Research. He is a member of numerous scientific societies including the American Society for Neurochemistry, the Society for Neuroscience, the International Society for Neurochemistry, International Society for Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, American Institute of Nutrition and American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. He has three US patents for his work. He has been continuously funded by the NIH for his whole academic career at Cornell/Burke. He has served on the editorial board of several journals. He is currently on the editorial board of Neurochemical Research, Neurochemical International, Journal of Neurochemistry and Mitochondrion. He is also a co-editor of the volume on Neural Energy Utilization for the Handbook of Neurochemistry and Molecular Biology.  Dr. Gibson has published over 130 research papers and 65 reviews on various aspects of neurochemistry.  He has demonstrated a long term commitment to the ASN, which has included being a member or chairman of multiple ASN committees and he served the ASN as Secretary.