Self-assembling proteins can store cellular “memories”
Using these engineered proteins, researchers can record histories that reveal when certain genes are activated or how cells respond to a drug.
Department
Brain and Cognitive Sciences
Professor Emeritus Richard Wurtman, influential figure in translational research, dies at 86
Longtime MIT professor of neuroscience led research behind 200 patents, laying the groundwork for numerous medical products.
Cognitive scientists develop new model explaining difficulty in language comprehension
Built on recent advances in machine learning, the model predicts how well individuals will produce and comprehend sentences.
New sensor uses MRI to detect light deep in the brain
Using this approach, researchers can map how light spreads in opaque environments.
This is your brain. This is your brain on code
MIT researchers are discovering which parts of the brain are engaged when a person evaluates a computer program.
Featured video: Fernanda De La Torre’s long journey to MIT
The MIT PhD student grew up in Mexico and crossed into the US on foot at age 12. Today she’s working in two different labs in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
Five from MIT named 2023 Quad Fellows
The new fellowship from the governments of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, administered by Schmidt Futures, supports graduate education in STEM fields.
Small studies of 40-hertz sensory stimulation confirm safety, suggest Alzheimer’s benefits
MIT researchers report early-stage clinical study results of tests with noninvasive 40-hertz light and sound treatment.
Three MIT seniors win 2024 Schwarzman Scholarships
Sara V. Fernandez, Amanda Hu, and Brigette Wang will spend the 2023-24 academic year at Tsinghua University in China studying global affairs.
How touch dampens the brain’s response to painful stimuli
Rubbing an aching body part can bring some relief. Neuroscientists at MIT's McGovern Institute are looking to find out why.
Silent synapses are abundant in the adult brain
These immature connections may explain how the adult brain is able to form new memories and absorb new information.
Teresa Gao named 2024 Mitchell Scholar
The MIT senior will pursue postgraduate studies in computer science in Ireland.
Alzheimer’s risk gene undermines insulation of brain’s “wiring”
In people carrying APOE4, a key brain cell mismanages cholesterol needed to insulate neurons properly — another sign APOE4 contributes to disease by disrupting brain lipids.
Celebrating open data
New prize program recognizes MIT researchers who make data openly accessible and reusable.
Are Covid-19 “comas” signs of a protective hibernation state?
Scientists hypothesize that, as in a hibernating turtle, the brain under sedation and deprived of oxygen may assume a protective state.