Rate My Professor Simon Pieraut

Simon Pieraut, Ph.D., serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology within Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science and the Florida Atlantic Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute. He assumed this position in 2024 at the Jupiter campus, leading the Pieraut Neuro Lab. His academic journey began with a B.S. in Animal Physiology from the University of Nancy, France, in 2003, followed by an M.S. in Neurobiology from the University of Montpellier in 2004, and a Ph.D. in Neurobiology from the same university in 2008, where he worked as a research assistant in Frederique Scamps’ lab at the Institute of Neurosciences of Montpellier. Subsequently, he was a Research Associate in Anton Maximov’s laboratory at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, from 2009 to 2016. Prior to joining FAU, he held an Assistant Professor position in the Department of Biology at the University of Nevada, Reno, from 2016 to 2024.

Dr. Pieraut’s research program centers on the molecular and cellular mechanisms driving neural plasticity, particularly how experiences induce changes in neural network connectivity through the remodeling of inhibitory synapses. His work focuses on cholecystokinin (CCK)-expressing basket cells in the dentate gyrus, utilizing sophisticated methods such as mouse genetics, viral gene delivery, optogenetics, and in vivo calcium imaging. These studies aim to uncover pathways essential for adaptive plasticity and their dysfunction in neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Notable publications include “The CAMKK2-AMPK kinase pathway mediates the synaptotoxic effects of Aβ oligomers through Tau phosphorylation” in Neuron (2013, 437 citations), “HDAC4 governs a transcriptional program essential for synaptic plasticity and memory” in Cell (2012, 314 citations), “SNAREs controlling vesicular release of BDNF and development of callosal axons” in Cell Reports (2015, 136 citations), and “Experience-dependent remodeling of basket cell networks in the dentate gyrus” in Neuron (2014, 48 citations). With over 1,500 citations on Google Scholar, his contributions have significantly influenced the field of neuroscience. Recently, the Pieraut Neuro Lab secured an $800,000 five-year grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate CCK inhibitory neuron plasticity in hippocampal function. In teaching, Dr. Pieraut emphasizes critical thinking in neuroscience, bridging foundational concepts with cutting-edge research to prepare students for diverse STEM careers.