Three British researchers, Tim Bliss, Graham Collingridge and Richard Morris have won the 2016 Brain Prize worth one million euros, awarded each year for an “outstanding contribution to European neuroscience”. Bliss, Collingridge and Morris revealed how strengthened connections between brain cells can store our memories. This is the first time the Brain Prize has been won by an entirely UK team. It is awarded by a Danish charitable foundation and the 2016 winners were announced in London.

The “team” of three winners never worked together in the same laboratory, but they have collaborated over the years.

About the Award

• The Brain Prize is awarded by the Grete Lundbeck European Brain Research Foundation, based in Copenhagen; a committee of eight neuroscientists makes the decision.
• Billed as “the world’s most valuable prize for brain research”, its one million-euro value – to be shared by the three winners – marginally exceeds that of the biennial US $1m neuroscience prize awarded by the Kavli Foundation.
• It will be presented in Copenhagen on 1 July by Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik.
• The first British winner was geneticist Prof Karen Steel of King’s College London, who shared the prize in 2012 for her work on deafness; Cambridge psychologist Trevor Robbins was one of three recipients in 2014.