Michael Friedlander, Ph.D.
“This is one of the most incredible places in the world to cross-disciplinary research, where we're converging on answering some of the most critical health problems and challenges facing human kind today."
Exploring the cellular processes underlying synaptic plasticity
How are synapses affected during development, learning, and in response to injury?
Michael Friedlander joined the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC in 2010 as its inaugural executive director, where he currently provides leadership to 33 premier research teams working to prevent, diagnose, and treat major health challenges. Institute faculty members hold more than $129 million in ongoing research grants. In addition, he serves as vice president for health sciences and technology at Virginia Tech, where he leads the development of the university’s Faculty of Health Sciences and the growth of the Academic Health Center in Roanoke.
His research program is directed at understanding the processes that regulate alterations in synaptic efficiency between neurons within the cerebral cortex — synaptic plasticity — and how these cellular processes are affected during brain development, after experiences including learning, and in response to brain injury. Specifically, his laboratory uses quantitative single neuron patch clamp electrophysiological methods along with cellular and subcellular imaging to visualize the changes in structure and calcium signals that underlie alterations in functional synaptic connectivity within the mammalian neocortex.
As senior dean for research of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Friedlander also oversees the school’s research education activities, leads the research value domain of the curriculum, and administers the research mentorship program. Before joining Virginia Tech, Friedlander served as the Wilhelmina Robertson Professor of Neuroscience, chair of the Department of Neuroscience, and director of neuroscience initiatives at Baylor College of Medicine at the Texas Medical Center in Houston. Earlier, he served for 25 years at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, where he was professor and founding chair of the department of neurobiology, founding director of the Neurobiology Research Center, director of the Civitan International Research Center for Intellectual Disabilities, and the first Evelyn McKnight Professor of Learning and Memory in Aging.
- Executive Director, Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC
- Vice President for Health Sciences and Technology
- Senior Dean for Research, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine
- Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science
- Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, College of Engineering
- Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, School of Medicine
Friedlander, M.J., C.-S. Lin and S.M. Sherman. Structure of physiologically identified X- and Y-cells in the cat's lateral geniculate nucleus. Science, 204:1114-1117, 1979.
Friedlander, M.J. The structure of physiologically classified neurons in the kitten dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. Nature, 300:180-183, 1982.
Lal, R. and M.J. Friedlander. Gating of retinal transmission by afferent eye position and movement signals. Science, 243:93-96, 1989.
Sayer, R.J., M.J. Friedlander and S.J. Redman. Time course and amplitude of EPSPs evoked at synapses between pairs of CA3-CA1 neurons in hippocampal slice. J. Neurosci., 10:826-836, 1990.
Montague, P.R., C. Gancayco, M.J. Winn, R.B. Marchase and M.J. Friedlander. Role of NO production in NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmitter release in cerebral cortex. Science, 263:973-977, 1994.
Dudek, S.M. and M.J. Friedlander. Developmental down-regulation of LTD in cortical layer IV and its independence of modulation by inhibition. Neuron, 16:1097-1106, 1996.
Kara, P. and M.J. Friedlander. Arginine analogues modify signal detection by neurons in the visual cortex, J Neurosci. 19:5528-5548, 1999.
Saez, I and Friedlander, MJ, Plasticity between neuronal pairs in layer 4 of visual cortex varies with synapse state J. Neurosci. 29: 15286-15298, 2009
Zhu PJ, Huang W, Kalikulov D, Yoo JW, Placzek AN, Stoica L, Zhou H, Bell JC, Friedlander MJ, Krnjević K, Noebels JL, Costa-Mattioli M. (2011). Suppression of PKR Promotes Network Excitability & Enhanced Cognition by Interferon-γ-Mediated Disinhibition. Cell, 147(6):1384-96.
- Wilhelmina Robertson Endowed Professor of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine
- Chair, Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine
- Director, Neuroscience Initiatives, Baylor College of Medicine
- University of Virginia: Postdoctoral fellowship
- University of Illinois: Ph.D.
- Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine Distinguished Scientist Award
- Elected Fellow of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine
- Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Board of Directors Distinguished Service Member
- First Annual Neuroscience Society Distinguished Scholar Award of the University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Wilhelmina Robertson Endowed Chair in Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, 2005-2010
- Evelyn F. McKnight Endowed Professor of Learning and Memory in Aging, University of Alabama at Birmingham
- University of Illinois Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology Distinguished Alumnus Award
- NIH Fogarty Center International Fellowship to the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Canberra, Australia
- Elected member of the Dana Foundation Brain Alliance
- WM Keck Foundation Award for Neurobiology Program Development
- American College of Physicians William C. Menninger Memorial Award for Distinguished Contributions to Mental Health Research
- Lucille P. Markey Foundation Center Award for Program Development In Neurobiology
- Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Neuroscience Fellowship
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Article ItemVirginia Tech scientists, engineers to talk about steps to stop cancer in virtual public session , article
A year ago, Virginia Tech united its biomedical and technical expertise into a Cancer Research Alliance to take on the second leading cause of death in the United States. Now, scientists and engineers will talk about some leading-edge projects in breast cancer, brain cancer, and noninvasive cancer treatments in a public Zoom discussion at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10.
Date: Nov 02, 2020 -
Article ItemPioneering roboticist to reveal new roles for bots in pediatric therapy, health care at public lecture , article
Ayanna Howard will explain how recent advances in robotics and artificial intelligence have positioned early intervention with robots to aid children in her lecture, “Pediatric Robotics – A Journey from the Lab to a Child’s Home,” at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the Maury L. Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture Series hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC in Roanoke.
Date: Oct 06, 2020 -
Article ItemScientists, engineers to discuss COVID-19 response in virtual HokieTalk on Wednesday , article
When the novel coronavirus hit the United States in January, Virginia Tech faculty recognized the nation was on the brink of a COVID-19 pandemic that would affect the university and the entire Commonwealth of Virginia. Hear the inside story about what happened during a virtual HokieTalk at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30.
Date: Sep 27, 2020 -
Article ItemCOVID-19 impacts among topics covered during Board of Visitors meeting , article
Among the actions taken, the board approved a resolution to demolish Femoyer Hall, a 35,500-gross-square-foot facility constructed in 1949. In addition, board members toured the new Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC research facility in Roanoke, the Virginia Tech School of Medicine, and new dairy facilities at Kentland Farm.
Date: Aug 25, 2020 -
Article ItemExpert on the tiny conspiracies of bacteria kicks off 2020-21 Maury Strauss public lecture series , article
Understanding how bacteria communicate with each other helps scientists learn how to disrupt their conversations and stop infections. On Sept. 3, Bonnie Bassler will kick off the series, hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute.
Date: Aug 21, 2020 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech cancer researcher Carla Finkielstein to join Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC , article
Finkielstein, a molecular biologist and an associate professor in the College of Science, will join the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC on July 1. Her laboratory, which studies how circadian rhythms are involved in breast cancer progression, will move to the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke.
Date: Jun 23, 2020 -
Article ItemAcclaimed neuroscientist to head Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC's Center for Neurobiology Research , article
Anthony-Samuel LaMantia, a developmental neurobiologist and a professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, has been named the new director of the institute’s Center for Neurobiology Research, according to Michael Friedlander, executive director of the research institute and Virginia Tech vice president for health sciences and technology.
Date: Jun 16, 2020 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech researchers develop new COVID-19 tests to combat backlogs, shortages , article
Virginia Tech scientists have developed a new COVID-19 test and secured federal and state approvals to immediately begin processing samples at on-campus labs in Blacksburg and Roanoke.
Date: Apr 22, 2020 -
Article ItemFralin Biomedical Research Institute to explore how a baby’s brain develops at Brain School , article
This year’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Brain School speaker lineup features interactive presentations about what influences early brain development and how these factors relate to infant health.
Date: Feb 27, 2020 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech, Indivior announce new collaboration to study long-term recovery pathways in people with opioid use disorder , article
The study will be carried out by a team of researchers led by Warren Bickel, a professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, the Virginia Tech Carilion Behavioral Health Research Professor, and a professor of psychology in the College of Science at Virginia Tech.
Date: Dec 10, 2019 -
Article ItemBiomedical, business, engineering teams set to dive into shark-tank style competition , article
With a focus on health sciences and technology, the HS&T Hokie Pitch will involve 30 students who have worked with real-world mentors, selected intellectual property, and created an entrepreneurial plan to develop and commercialize biomedical discoveries.
Date: Dec 05, 2019 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech faculty receive top honors from the American Association for the Advancement of Science , article
Elected by their peers and representing a broad range of AAAS “sections,” including statistics, neuroscience, engineering, psychology, and geology/geography, the Virginia Tech professors are among 443 newly elected scholars.
Date: Nov 26, 2019 -
Article ItemChildren’s National Hospital, Virginia Tech announce partnership for new Children’s National Research & Innovation Campus , article
The campus is an expansion of Children’s National that is located on a nearly 12-acre portion of the former Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and is set to open its first phase in December 2020.
Date: Nov 14, 2019 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech announces expansive cancer research initiative , article
Virginia Tech has developed a university-wide cancer research strategy to create and expand synergies among more than 30 existing research teams at work finding new ways to diagnose and treat cancer.
Date: Oct 16, 2019 -
Article ItemLeading aging, vision experts to keynote international precision neuroscience conference in Roanoke this spring , article
Neuroscientists, physicians, and graduate students from across the world will gather at the Precision Neuroscience Conference hosted by the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute in Roanoke, Virginia, in May.
Date: Oct 14, 2019 -
Article ItemChildren’s National Hospital taps Virginia Tech health sciences leader for advisory board , article
Michael J. Friedlander, the vice president for health sciences at Virginia Tech and executive director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, will aid Children’s National efforts to improve understanding of the prevention, treatment, and care of childhood diseases.
Date: Sep 23, 2019 -
Article ItemRegional government forum reveals 'limitless potential' from Virginia Tech and Carilion Clinic partnership , article
Virginia Tech President Tim Sands and Carilion Clinic’s President and Chief Executive Officer Nancy Howell Agee set the tone for the meeting by portraying how both organizations have invested significantly throughout the region and across the commonwealth.
Date: Sep 13, 2019 -
Article ItemNational science, health, and policy headliners slated for Maury Strauss lecture series at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute , article
A Nobel prize winner and two National Institutes of Health leaders are among internationally known speakers programmed for the new season of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture Series in Roanoke.
Date: Aug 28, 2019 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech health sciences leader appointed to Virginia Early Childhood Foundation advisory council , article
The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation was founded in 2006 with the vision that every child in Virginia should begin kindergarten healthy, equipped with the resources they need, and ready to succeed.
Date: Jul 24, 2019 -
Article ItemFDA deems molecular test for concussions ‘breakthrough device’ , article
BRAINBox Solutions, a molecular diagnostics innovator that works extensively with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, announced it has been granted U.S. Food and Drug Administration Breakthrough Device Designation to speed development of a product that includes a blood-based test to aid in prognosis and diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury.
Date: Jun 17, 2019 -
Article ItemFriedlander named Fellow of Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine , article
After more than a century of achievement, the society has named its inaugural class of fellows — notably including Michael Friedlander, founding executive director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and vice president of health sciences and technology at Virginia Tech.
Date: May 22, 2019 -
Article ItemJudges, neuroscientists consider how science and criminal justice converge at Roanoke neurolaw conference , article
Neuroscientists and addiction experts at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC believe that emerging neuroscientific discoveries could complement criminal justice.
Date: May 02, 2019 -
Article ItemHundreds of STEM high school students to compete at Virginia Science and Engineering Fair , article
Hosted by volunteers from the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, 274 students will present their projects on April 6 at the Berglund Special Events Center in Roanoke.
Date: Apr 04, 2019 -
Article ItemFralin Biomedical Research Institute to present the good, bad, and ugly at 7th Annual Brain School , article
Experts will share insights and extraordinary facts during the series of community lectures and hands-on activities from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, March 11, through Thursday, March 14, at 2 Riverside Circle in Roanoke.
Date: Mar 05, 2019 -
Article ItemRecord $50 million gift to Virginia Tech results in naming of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute in Roanoke , article
Historic donation will help recruit and retain world-leading researchers, further bolstering Virginia’s economy.
Date: Dec 06, 2018 -
Article ItemBiomedical, business, engineering students set for HS&T shark tank-style competition , article
Teams will compete for $9,000 in prize money provided by the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Luna Innovations Inc., Carilion Clinic, the Apex Systems Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the Woods Rogers law firm.
Date: Nov 27, 2018 -
Article ItemLeaders mark construction milestone for VTC Biomedical Research Addition , article
A crowd watched on Friday as a crane hoisted a steel beam four stories into the sky at the construction site for the Virginia Tech Biomedical Research Addition in Roanoke.
Date: Sep 28, 2018 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech appoints Assistant Vice President of Advancement for Roanoke Kim Blair , article
The move reflects the university’s growing presence in the city, where the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine have emerged as economic anchors.
Date: Sep 14, 2018 -
Article ItemReport shows strong impact, predicts economic growth for Virginia Tech Carilion Health Sciences and Technology Campus , article
The report, conducted by the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service’s Center for Economic and Policy Studies, analyzed current and future spending and employment growth at the campus, which is a physical representation of the unique partnership between a public institution, Virginia Tech, and Carilion Clinic, the third-largest private health system in Virginia.
Date: May 23, 2018 -
Article ItemVTCRI wins award to develop test for mild traumatic brain injury, working with industry partners, University of Virginia , article
The project has won the support of the Virginia Catalyst, which has awarded a $500,000 grant to the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute to further develop and commercialize a multi-modality system approach to aid in the diagnosis and management of mild traumatic brain injury, known as mTBI.
Date: May 15, 2018 -
Article ItemFirst students earn degrees through innovative translational biology, medicine, and health program , article
The program is based on the Virginia Tech Carilion Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, and it positions students to conduct research in more than 50 departments and institutes across Virginia Tech.
Date: May 09, 2018 -
Article ItemCartledge Charitable Foundation fights breast cancer with gift to Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute , article
The foundation made the $100,000 gift to support promising research taking place in Roanoke, Virginia, to prevent and treat breast cancer.
Date: May 07, 2018 -
Article ItemVTCRI summer undergraduate neuroscience research federally funded for five more years , article
A summer pilot program for undergraduate neuroscience research at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute proved so successful that National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, of the National Institutes of Health, has provided $500,000 of funding for another five years.
Date: Jan 04, 2018 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech Carilion Research Institute awarded a Virginia Catalyst grant to curtail opioid overdoses , article
Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute scientists are focused on a new protocol to help curtail opioid overdoses. The project involves Virginia Commonwealth University and has been awarded $1 million in combined grant funding from the Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corp. and pharmaceuticals company Indivior.
Date: Dec 04, 2017 -
Article ItemGovernor, Virginia Tech Carilion officials break ground on VTC Biomedical Research Expansion , article
The 139,000-gross-square-foot building will rise on the Virginia Tech Carilion Health Sciences and Technology Campus at Jefferson Street and Reserve Avenue and will be physically connected by an elevated walkway to the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute. It is expected to open in 2020.
Date: Oct 24, 2017 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech Carilion Research Institute teams converge on strategies to defeat McCain’s form of brain cancer , article
Research teams at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute from three colleges — Engineering, Science, and Veterinary Medicine — are developing new approaches to treat glioblastoma, the aggressive form of brain cancer recently diagnosed in U.S. Sen. John McCain.
Date: Jul 24, 2017 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech Carilion Research Institute names advisory board , article
Fifteen leaders of business, industry, and education — including a former Virginia Tech president — have been named to serve on the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute’s advisory board.
Date: Jun 19, 2017 -
Article ItemUndergraduates will spend summer learning what it means to be biomedical research scientists in and out of the lab , article
SURF students in both programs will complete independent research projects, with guidance provided by VTCRI faculty mentors, to be presented at the Virginia Tech Undergraduate Research Symposia on July 27.
Date: Jun 13, 2017 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech Carilion Research Institute to host Brain Awareness Week , article
Scientists will reveal more about what they have learned about the brain’s developmental journey when the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute opens its doors for its fifth annual Brain School during Brain Awareness Week from March 13-19.
Date: Feb 15, 2017 -
Article ItemUVA, Virginia Tech Carilion partner to fund cross-university neuroscience research , article
The University of Virginia-Virginia Tech Carilion Neuroscience Research Collaboration have announced more than a half million dollars in grant funding will be awarded to nine research teams to tackle pressing problems in brain development and function in health and disease.
Date: Dec 11, 2016 -
Article ItemMichael J. Friedlander to discuss doctoral training initiatives at Society for Neuroscience conference , article
With more than 30,000 attendees from more than 80 countries, the conference is the world's largest source of emerging ideas and tools on brain science and health.
Date: Nov 02, 2016 -
Article ItemInternational scientists join forces in Roanoke to put ‘precision’ focus on neuroscience , article
The top minds of precision neuroscience are coming together in a think-tank setting to explore the challenges and promise of bringing personalized medicine to brain health.
Date: Oct 05, 2016 -
Article ItemDevelopmental and Translational Neurobiology Center to open at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute , article
Led by Michael Fox, an associate professor at the institute, the center will enhance existing strengths in cell and molecular neuroscience and create a collaborative community for scientists.
Date: Sep 26, 2016 -
Article ItemGovernor’s bond package includes Virginia Tech Carilion research partnership expansion and new engineering classrooms and research space , article
An exterior view of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute on Riverside Drive in Roanoke, Va.
Date: Dec 11, 2015 -
Article ItemResearch team heads to Antarctic to get icy insight into how brain adapts to temperature change , article
Scientists are heading to Antarctica to find out, for the first time, exactly how the rising temperatures are affecting the icefishes’ brains and hearts – and what it means for the rest of the world.
Date: May 21, 2015 -
Article ItemBrain School 2015 focuses on beginnings , article
Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute to host third annual Brain School.
Date: Mar 10, 2015 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine reorganizes Department of Basic Science , article
In a move designed to more closely align medical educators and researchers in the basic sciences, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine has announced a reorganization of its Department of Basic Science. The new unit will be called the Department of Biomedical Science and will be chaired by Michael Friedlander, the school’s senior dean for research. Friedlander also serves as executive director of the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute and associate provost for health sciences at Virginia Tech.
Date: Mar 05, 2015 -
Article ItemMichael Friedlander’s research continues to be lauded 40 years later , article
The early work of the executive director of the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute helped set the stage for future neuroscience studies.
Date: Feb 27, 2015 -
Article ItemInaugural heart school events will get rescheduled , article
The public is invited to learn more about heart development and current cardiovascular research during Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute’s first heart school, held as part of American Heart Month.
Date: Feb 23, 2015 -
Article ItemVirginia Tech Carilion Research Institute sets a new pace in heart research , article
The Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, well known for its innovative, world-class brain research, is launching a major new initiative in cardiovascular research.
Date: May 20, 2014 -
Article ItemMichael Friedlander to be honored for contributions to neuroscience research, education, and leadership , article
Nearly a decade after leaving the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Michael Friedlander will be honored by the university’s undergraduate neuroscience society. Friedlander, founding executive director of the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, will receive the First Annual Undergraduate Neuroscience Society Distinguished Scholar Award of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Date: Jan 23, 2014 -
Article ItemBrain Awareness Week will highlight the wonders of nature's most remarkable machine , article
Imagine a portable supercomputer that requires only the wattage of a dim lightbulb to run and yet can decode ancient languages, invent fictional worlds, and distinguish friend from foe. The Virginia Tech community will be celebrating that supercomputer – the human brain – during Brain Awareness Week, which begins March 11.
Date: Mar 01, 2013 -
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Article ItemVirginia Tech Carilion Research Institute director named president-elect of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine , article
Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute Director Michael Friedlander has been named president–elect of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine effective July 1.
Date: May 03, 2011
Research Briefs about Michael Friedlander, Ph.D.
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Michael Friedlander receives multiple sclerosis society honor , article Date: Oct 23, 2015
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Redirect ItemVirginia Tech Magazine: Scientific Relevance , redirect
The Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC launched in 2010 with its first faculty member and executive director and $2 million in extramural research funding from the National Institutes of Health. A decade later, 33 research team leaders with the support of more than 300 students and staff conduct research with $135 million in active grant awards.
Date: Oct 28, 2020 -
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