Thomas C. Südhof

Thomas C. Südhof is a German-American biochemist who studies how neurons release neurotransmitters at synapses. His work on the molecular machinery of synaptic transmission earned him the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

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Synapse: A junction where a neuron communicates with another cell, often by releasing chemical signals. Südhof’s research explains how chemical communication is organized at this junction.
Synaptic transmission: The process by which a neuron communicates with another cell at a synapse. This is the process whose molecular timing and control Südhof investigated.
Richard Scheller: An American neuroscientist whose research helped identify proteins involved in synaptic vesicle release. Scheller and Südhof independently identified key components of the vesicle-release machinery.
Autism spectrum disorder: A neurodevelopmental condition involving differences in social communication and restricted or repetitive behaviors. Synaptic adhesion proteins studied by Südhof have been investigated in autism-related biology.
Synaptic vesicle: A small membrane-bound sac that stores neurotransmitters for release from a neuron. His work examined how these vesicles release their contents at synapses.
Calcium-triggered exocytosis: The release of cell contents when calcium signals a vesicle to fuse with the cell membrane. Südhof helped establish how calcium triggers synaptic vesicle fusion.
James Rothman: An American cell biologist who discovered central machinery governing vesicle transport and membrane fusion. Rothman’s membrane-fusion findings complemented the synaptic work recognized by the Nobel Prize.
Schizophrenia: A psychiatric disorder involving disruptions in thought, perception, emotion, and behavior. Genetic and synaptic mechanisms studied in Südhof’s field inform research on schizophrenia.
Neurotransmitter: A chemical messenger released by neurons to transmit signals across synapses. Vesicle release makes these messengers available to act on neighboring cells.
Complexin: A protein that binds SNARE complexes and regulates the timing of synaptic vesicle fusion. Complexin helps explain how release machinery is restrained before a calcium signal.