Charles J. Vierck Jr. Ph.D., professor of Neuroscience, professor of Psychology Retires

Retirement to Charles J. Vierck Jr., Ph.D., director of the Center for Neurobiological Sciences in UF’s McKnight Brain Institute, means a little golf, more time with his wife, Cheryl, and an opportunity to focus on research.

“I have a lot of writing to do — research papers, chapters for books,” said Vierck, who will return this fall as a professor emeritus.

Vierck is pleased that his research has continually proved to be clinically relevant. A past recipient of the College of Medicine’s Faculty Research Prize in Basic Science, Vierck has investigated how the body feels a variety of sensations, including pain, and has explored mechanisms of spinal cord sensory and motor functions.

“It’s important to know how the spinal cord operates in order to diagnose related disease,” Vierck said. “We’ve made real headway.”

In 1986, Vierck won the Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award, a national prize mandated by Congress for scientists who have a record of substantial contributions in the neurobiological or communicative sciences. He has trained a large number of doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows and is a past recipient of the Certificate for Merit for Teaching Excellence. He joined UF in 1965.