Tackling rare genetic disorders with patient-focused science
Shannon Knight, a brain and cognitive sciences PhD candidate and McGovern Institute researcher, focuses on developing a novel gene therapy.
Department
Brain and Cognitive Sciences
DNA shaper steers nervous system development
A study of worms finds a protein that helps shape the structure of the genome is critical for establishing the identity of some neurons.
Flexible brain circuits can switch between different tasks
Neuroscientists have discovered circuits in the prefrontal cortex that can be repurposed to store different types of information.
High-speed microscopy reveals electrical activity across the brain
The new technique could help scientists learn how the entire brain works to generate decisions and emotions.
Personalized physical therapy: Stroke rehabilitation powered by AI
MIT engineers introduce an adaptive physical therapy system that uses generative AI to learn from physical therapists and interactively support stroke patients.
Alexander Rakhlin named director of the MIT Statistics and Data Science Center
An expert in machine learning, statistics, and computation, Rakhlin succeeds Professor Ankur Moitra.
Emery Brown, Daniel Hastings, and Douglas Lauffenburger named Institute Professors
Longtime professors and experts in the fields of anesthesiology, aerospace engineering, and biological engineering, respectively, receive MIT’s highest faculty honor.
MIT Professor Susumu Tonegawa, renowned molecular biologist and Nobel laureate, dies at 86
Tonegawa made landmark discoveries about how the immune system generates antibody diversity and how the brain forms memories.
Electric fields help guide neural activity, even from moment to moment
A new study adds evidence that electric fields in the brain help to organize and shape underlying neural activity via “ephaptic coupling.”
How visual learning happens in the brain
Scientists find that learning to identify a new object subtly reshapes visual processing in the brain.
Separating logic and language
Neuroscientists find logical reasoning does not involve language-processing parts of the brain.
The brain’s internal ruler
A simple brain circuit measures objects’ distance from the body using touch signals from a rodent’s whiskers, MIT scientists find.
The brain’s language network is more extensive than previously thought
A new study reveals that parts of the brain located far from the canonical language-processing centers are also involved in language comprehension.
MIT in the media: Exploring how curiosity-driven science is an essential ingredient in America’s success
“Scientific American” showcases the history and future of America’s scientific engine, highlighting promising young scientists and icons at MIT and beyond.
Would you return a favor? Scientists say it depends on the relationship
A new study shows people expect reciprocal generosity only in interactions with friends or others of equal social status.