Molecular and Cellular

Picower Institute scientists probe the role of genes, proteins and molecules in the physiology and action of neurons and glia, including how synaptic connections change. To learn more about these or other areas of inquiry, select them under Research Topics and you'll find relevant Picower people, discoveries and events.

February 2, 2023

Research Findings

First detailed mapping and modeling of thalamus inputs onto visual cortex neurons show brain leverages “wisdom of the crowd” to process sensory information

January 20, 2023

Research Findings

A new study identifies cells that are the most vulnerable within a brain structure involved in mood and movement

January 2, 2023

Research Findings

‘Single-cell profiling’ is helping neuroscientists see how disease affects major brain cell types and identify common, potentially targetable pathways

November 16, 2022

Research Findings

In people carrying the APOE4 risk variant, a key brain cell type mismanages cholesterol needed to insulate neurons properly—another sign that APOE4 contributes to disease by disrupting lipids in the brain

October 17, 2022

Picower People

Academy recognizes Mark Bear’s influential fundamental research on how experience shapes the brain and its relevance to neurodevelopmental diseases.

September 29, 2022

Picower People

Payton Dupuis finds new scientific interests and career opportunities through MIT summer research program in biology.

September 28, 2022

Recent Events

At an exhibition marking two decades since a transformative gift from The Picower Foundation, current and alumni members described research at the forefront of neuroscience and beyond

September 5, 2022

Research Findings

When holding information in mind, neural activity is more focused when and where there are bursts of gamma frequency rhythms

August 29, 2022

Research Findings

Separating densely packed molecules before imaging allows them to become visible for the first time

July 20, 2022

Research Findings

Nerve cells regulate and routinely refresh the collection of calcium channels that enable them to send messages across circuit connections

May 26, 2022

New Research

Research Program Award will fund studies to find early triggers of disease progression

May 17, 2022

Picower People

Emery N. Brown and three other scientists recognized for advancing statistical, theoretical analyses of neuroscience data

Sparse, small, but diverse neural connections help make perception reliable, efficient

How Huntington’s disease affects different neurons

New technologies revealing cross-cutting breakdowns in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s risk gene undermines insulation of brain’s “wiring”

Bear elected member of National Academy of Medicine

Providing new pathways for neuroscience research and education

Celebrating 20 years of discovery, Picower Institute looks ahead to continuing impact

How the brain focuses on what’s in mind

Microscopy technique reveals hidden nanostructures in cells and tissues

New findings reveal how neurons build and maintain their capacity to communicate

NIH award to help Heiman unearth roots of Huntington’s pathology

Brown wins share of 2022 Gruber Neuroscience Prize