About Us

Dr. David Fitzpatrick was named Founding Scientific Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI) in January 2011. Previously, he was the James B. Duke Professor of Neurobiology and the Founding Director of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, where he led numerous interdisciplinary initiatives and recruited new faculty. He is an internationally recognized leader in systems neuroscience, focusing on the functional organization and development of neural circuits in the cerebral cortex. His research probes circuit function in the visual cortex, which is critical for understanding neurological and psychiatric disorders. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2018.

Dr. Lin Tian started as Scientific Director of the Max Planck Florida Institute in October 2023. She is an internationally recognized leader in neuroengineering, focusing on generating new molecular tools to understand and repair the brain. Dr. Tian actively disseminates her methodologies and is an advocate for open science. Her postdoctoral work played a critical role in developing the calcium sensor GCaMP, an achievement that transformed neuroscience by enabling the optical measurement of brain activity during behavior. Her current work focuses on technological innovation to find treatments for neuropsychiatric diseases. She received her doctoral degree in Biochemistry, Molecular, and Cellular Biology from Northwestern University.

Dr. Ryohei Yasuda started as Scientific Director of the Max Planck Florida Institute in January 2012. Prior to this, he was an Assistant Professor in the Neurobiology department at the Duke University Medical Center. He is recognized for his research accomplishments, including the NIH Pioneer Award and the Research Award for Innovative Neuroscience. His postdoctoral work at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory involved building an imaging device to monitor protein interactions in living cells with high sensitivity. At Duke, he developed techniques to visualize signaling activity in single synapses. From 2009 to 2012, he also served as an Early Career Scientist at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He received his Ph.D. in physics from Keio University Graduate School of Science and Technology.

Hollie Perez, MBA serves as Chief Administrative Officer and VP of Human Resources. In this role, she oversees MPFI’s critical administrative functions, including finance and accounting, communications and outreach, facilities management, and fundraising.  She also serves as the institute’s J1 Visa Responsible officer working to ensure MPFI’s international students and employees are provided with much-needed guidance and support throughout their stay in the US. Hollie joined MPFI in March 2013 after serving as Human Resources Supervisor for The Scripps Research Institute. She also spent six years as an Operations Manager for a regional scientific staffing firm. Ms. Perez began her professional career as a plastics and metals chemist supporting the automotive industry. She received her M.B.A. with a specialty in Human Resources Management from Baker College.

Dr. Joe Schumacher is the Chief Scientific Officer at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, where he provides strategic leadership over the institute's scientific core facilities and research infrastructure, ensuring MPFI remains at the forefront of modern neuroscience. Prior to his role as CSO, Dr. Schumacher spent nearly two decades as a researcher, applying advanced technology and life science techniques to complex questions in neuroscience. He earned his Ph.D. in Neurobiology and Behavior from Columbia University in 2014 before joining MPFI as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. David Fitzpatrick's laboratory, where his work on the neural basis of perceptual learning contributed to several new research directions in the lab.

Dr. Paul Evans serves as MPFI’s scientific ambassador to the academic, business, government, and science/technology sectors. He oversees the Institute’s external partnerships and government affairs, fostering relationships to diversify funding and promoting innovation from MPFI laboratories. He manages MPFI’s corporate partnership program, cultivating connections with industry leaders and ensuring the Institute remains a focus for policymakers. Dr. Evans played a key role in establishing multiple training programs, including the International Max Planck Research School Ph.D. program. He earned his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Emory University.

Katie Walsh Edwards has more than two decades of experience working in the nonprofit and public engagement sector. In her current role, she oversees MPFI’s public engagement activities, including communications, education outreach, events, and advancement. She joined MPFI in 2018 after spending 13 years as Director of Communications and Development for The Society of the Four Arts, a nonprofit cultural institution. Ms. Edwards is active in Leadership Palm Beach County and the Public Relations Society of America, where she previously served as president. She received her bachelor’s degree in advertising from the University of Florida.