biology

Paul Thompson (neuroscientist)

Paul Thompson (neuroscientist) is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Paul Thompson (neuroscientist) rather than just read about it. In short: Paul Thompson (born 13 June 1971) is a British-American neuroscientist, and a professor of neurology at the Imaging Genetics Center at the University of Southern California. Thompson obtained a bachelor's degree in Greek and Latin languages and mathematics from Oxford University.

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Reference excerpt

Paul Thompson (born 13 June 1971) is a British-American neuroscientist, and a professor of neurology at the Imaging Genetics Center at the University of Southern California. Thompson obtained a bachelor's degree in Greek and Latin languages and mathematics from Oxford University. He also earned a master's degree in mathematics from Oxford and a PhD degree in neuroscience from University of California, Los Angeles. Thompson specializes in the field of human brain imaging, with research interest in mathematical and computational algorithm development for human brain mapping, and has contributed to more than 900 publications. He currently leads the Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) project, a global data collection and sharing effort designed to understand how brain structure changes during the trajectory of brain atrophy, mental illness and Alzheimer's disease and the underlying genetic landscape.

Research The ENIGMA Consortium, co-founded by Thompson, performs some of the largest-ever studies of the human brain, analyzing brain scans of more than 50,000 people worldwide. This collaborative group studies 22 brain diseases in 37 countries, focusing on the interaction between brain health and genetics. ENIGMA has published some of the largest-ever neuroimaging studies of schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, and obsessive–compulsive disorder. In 2020, Thompson launched AI4AD, a consortium of researchers across the United States that aims to develop AI tools to analyze and integrate genetic, imaging and cognitive data relating to Alzheimer’s disease. In 2023, Thompson launched the India ENIGMA Initiative, a study of factors that affect brain aging and mental health in India.

Academic career Thompson began his academic career as an assistant professor of neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), after completing his PhD in neuroscience as a Fulbright Scholar at UCLA. During his time at UCLA, Thompson was promoted to professor in 2010. In 2013, Thompson moved to the University of Southern California (USC), where he was named director of the USC Imaging Genetics Center and associate director of the USC Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute. He is also a professor in the Keck School of Medicine of USC departments of ophthalmology, neurology, psychiatry and the behavioral sciences, radiology and engineering, and holds the Popovich Chair in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

Awards In 2023, Thompson received the 2023 Pioneer in Medicine Award from the Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics. In 2025, Thompson received the Gold Medal Award from the Society of Biological Psychiatry, recognizing his pioneering work in neuroimaging and the development of global collaborative research initiatives in biological psychiatry. In May 2025, Thompson was elected as a Foreign Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, an honor bestowed upon select international scientists for their significant contributions to global scientific advancement. In 2025, Thompson was selected to deliver the prestigious Talairach Lecture at the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM) Annual Meeting, recognizing his leading contributions to neuroimaging and artificial intelligence in brain research.

Impact Thompson has been named one of “the world’s most influential scientific minds” and a highly cited researcher by Thomson Reuters. In March 2022, he was ranked as the number 181 most cited researcher worldwide based on his whole career h-index of 188 (based on Google Scholar).

References

External links Paul Thompson at the USC Imaging Genetics Center ENIGMA LONI

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Paul Thompson (neuroscientist)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Paul Thompson (neuroscientist) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Paul Thompson (neuroscientist) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Paul Thompson (neuroscientist) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Paul Thompson (neuroscientist)

In research: Paul Thompson (neuroscientist) appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Paul Thompson (neuroscientist) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Paul Thompson (neuroscientist) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1971 births, Alumni of the University of Oxford, American neuroscientists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Paul Thompson (neuroscientist) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Paul Thompson (neuroscientist) in simple terms?

Why does Paul Thompson (neuroscientist) matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Paul Thompson (neuroscientist)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Paul Thompson (neuroscientist).