McGovern Institute

“I was always interested in biology but I felt that it’s important to get a solid training in chemistry and physics,” Feng Zhang says.

Toward a better understanding of the brain

Genome-editing pioneer Feng Zhang hopes his work will shed light on neurological disorders.

March 22, 2016

"[W]e hope that our studies of vps-50 will provide insights into human neuropsychiatric disorders,” H. Robert Horvitz says.

Neuroscientists discover a gene that controls worms’ behavioral state

Gene required for the control of behavioral state is also found in humans, may be linked to autism.

March 3, 2016

McGovern Institute for Brain Research awards Scolnick Prize to neurogeneticist Cori Bargmann

Bargmann honored for her work on the genetic and neural mechanisms that control behavior in the nematode C. elegans.

March 1, 2016

Neuroscientists reverse autism symptoms

Turning on a gene later in life can restore typical behavior in mice.

February 17, 2016

“We wanted to find the link,” Gloria Choi says. “How do you go all the way from the immune system in the mother to the child’s brain?”

How severe maternal inflammation can lead to autism-like behavior

Immune molecules in infected mothers tied to brain and behavior abnormalities in offspring.

January 28, 2016

MIT researchers scanned the brains of children who were not depressed but had a parent who had suffered from the disorder. Such children are three times more likely to become depressed later in life, usually between the ages of 15 and 30.

Diagnosing depression before it starts

Brain scans may identify children who are vulnerable to depression, before symptoms appear.

January 21, 2016

MIT affiliates were well represented in the 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30, honoring young leaders.

25 from MIT named to Forbes 30 Under 30 lists in 2016

Students, researchers, and alumni honored in the 2016 Forbes 30 Under 30 lists showcasing America’s most important young entrepreneurs, thinkers, and leaders.

January 7, 2016

School of Science honors research staff with 2016 Infinite Kilometer Awards

January 4, 2016

Researchers have developed a computational model of visual representation intended to reflect the way the brain works.

Machines that learn like people

Algorithms could learn to recognize objects from a few examples, not millions; may better model human cognition.

December 23, 2015

(Clockwise from top left)
Angela M. Belcher; Sangeeta N. Bhatia; H. Robert Horvitz; and Emery N. Brown.

Four MIT faculty named 2015 fellows of the National Academy of Inventors

Belcher, Bhatia, Brown, and Horvitz recognized for demonstrating a prolific spirit of innovation and invention resulting in a tangible impact on society.

December 18, 2015