Page 46 - Cityview_Jan_Feb_2014

around town

Photograph by tyler oxendine
CONVERSATIONS

Dr. Robert Switzer

Chief Scientific Officer and President of Knoxville-based
NeuroScience Associates, former director of the R.H. Cole

Neuroscience Lab at the University of Tennessee—and world-
renowned neuroscientist and expert on the study of brains.

D
r. robert switzer andhiscompany,NeuroScienceAssociates, RS: Thirty to 40 microns—one-third the
provides neurohistology services (neuro: relating to nerves or the nervous system; width of a human hair.

histology: the study of the microscopic structure of tissues)—that is, the study
of brain tissue—to scientists around the world. his revolutionary work assists in the AM: how long does it take to section a

study of brains for the discovery of cures for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, whole brain?
and huntington’s. he has designed fdA-approved studies of the brain, invented a

patented technology to study multiple brains simultaneously, authored more than 40 RS: Well, the rest of the world still sec-
manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, published more than 50 scientific meeting tions one brain at a time, which takes up

abstracts, and contributed to seven books. here, Angelique Medow and dr. Switzer to two-and-a-half hours. Since there are
discuss the extraordinary work occurring at the NSA labs in West Knoxville.
hundreds of brains in any given study,

there can be a one year bottleneck in
getting all sections of this many brains

studied. here at NSA, we are the only ANGELIqUE MEDOW: You are a fascinat- RS: The structure and function of
lab in the world that uses our Multibrain ing combination of both a world-re- the brain is just irresistibly fascinat-

Technology, which allows us to section nowned neuroscientist and a success- ing. To study the brain accurately,
25 brains in the same two-and-a-half ful businessman. Aren’t the scientific we must study tiny, thin slices,

hours that it takes other labs to section and business worlds very different?
because every slice (or section) is
only one brain.
different. A person could study one

DR. ROBERT SWITZER: Yes—very differ- section of the brain and it could
AM: how does your lab’s ability to pro- ent. I’m a neuroscientist at heart, but appear normal, and the next section

vide brain sections 25 times faster than I’ve always had an interest in business. of the very same brain could show
the rest of the world affect the average When I started, it was unheard of for a a significant issue. Each section is

person?
neuroscientist to start a business. but I vitally different and important.
thought, “Why not?”
RS: AM:
our ability to reduce the time it takes What thickness are the slices of
to section a brain reduces the time it
AM: Why did you decide to study brains?
the brain to be studied?

44 cityviewmag.com maRcH aPRiL 2014