Research Topics

As this gallery of featured people and projects illustrates, Picower Institute scientists study brain structure and function at scales from genes and molecules to cells, circuits and regions. They also study the behaviors and cognitive processes that result, and seek to uncover how disruptions at different scales can result in developmental, psychiatric or neurodegenerative disorders. They employ—and often invent—the newest technologies in their work. To learn more about any of these specific areas, click "Research Topics" above, select areas of interest, and you'll find relevant Picower people, discoveries and events.

January 31, 2022

Research Findings

The act of holding information in mind is accompanied by coordination of rotating brain waves in the prefrontal cortex, a new study finds.

January 6, 2022

Research Findings

Extra chromosome alters chromosomal conformation and DNA accessibility across the whole genome in neural progenitor cells, disrupting gene transcription and cell functions much like in cellular aging.

November 29, 2021

Research Findings

Tomosyn’s tight regulation of neurotransmitter release distinguishes functions of two neuron classes at the fly neuromuscular junction

November 3, 2021

Research Findings

The findings may help explain why some people who lead enriching lives are less prone to Alzheimer’s and age-related dementia

October 5, 2021

New Research

Large-scale, integrated application of advanced computational, biological techniques aims to discover mechanisms underlying ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration with motor neuron disease

September 20, 2021

Research Feature

How brain circuits integrate many sources of context to flexibly guide behavior

September 1, 2021

Research Findings

By temporarily suspending retinal activity in the non-amblyopic eye of animal models, neuroscientists restrengthened the visual response in the amblyopic eye, even at ages after the critical period when patch therapy fails

July 26, 2021

Research Findings

The visual cortex stores and remembers individual images, but when they are grouped into a sequence, mice can’t recognize that without guidance from the hippocampus

July 6, 2021

Research Findings

To quickly express genes needed for learning and memory, brain cells snap both strands of DNA in many more places and cell types than previously realized, a new study shows