A portrait of Susumu Tonegawa in front of a gray background
July 15, 2026
Picower Professor Susumu Tonegawa, renowned molecular biologist and Nobel laureate, dies at 86
A closeup of a piece of paper displaying many squiggly lines of brainwaves
July 7, 2026
Electric fields help guide neural activity, even from moment to moment
Myriam Heiman stands along the blue glassy windows of the Reading Terrace in MIT's Building 46
May 26, 2026
Myriam Heiman named the director of The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
On a black background a spiny section of a neural dendrite is outlined in white. Within the outline numerous little white dots indicate the actual dendrite within the outline.
May 14, 2026
The rules neurons follow to make sense of what we see
A microscope view of several worms wriggling through a red-hued gel
April 20, 2026
How neurons sense bacteria in the gut

Picower Professor Susumu Tonegawa, renowned molecular biologist and Nobel laureate, dies at 86

July 15, 2026
Picower People
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

July 7, 2026
Research Findings
A new study adds evidence that electric fields in the brain help to organize and shape underlying neural activity via “ephaptic coupling.”

Symposium speakers examine how understanding the brain could improve the functioning of democracy

June 2, 2026
Picower Events
Combining insights from the debates of American civics to the discoveries of neuroscience labs, experts honed in on ways that brain science research could inform efforts to improve political participation and dialogue in a polarized age

Myriam Heiman named the director of The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory

May 26, 2026
Picower People
Heiman, who studies neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, will lead the institute beginning July 1.

Takato Honda receives MIT Infinite Expansion Award

May 22, 2026
Picower People
Picower Institute Research Scientist honored for studies, mentoring and recently discovering a new marine species

The rules neurons follow to make sense of what we see

May 14, 2026
Research Findings
Brain cells take in many signals through thousands of circuit connections. A new study in mice discerns the rules that turn what could be a cacophony of inputs into a functional arrangement for neurons that process vision.

MIT-based team releases first AI foundation model for Alzheimer's prevention

April 26, 2026
Research Feature
FINGERS-7B integrates lifestyle, clinical, genomic, and proteomic data from tens of thousands of at-risk individuals to discover multi-omic biomarkers for preclinical Alzheimer's

How neurons sense bacteria in the gut

April 20, 2026
Research Findings
Neural interaction with bacteria, e.g. in the gut microbiome, has important effects on brains of animals from worms to people. A new study investigates how neurons sense bacteria by revealing, in nematodes, the bacterial signals that a key neuron detects

Alana Down Syndrome Center symposium highlights studies from brain to heart

April 14, 2026
Picower Events
Seven researchers from MIT, Rutgers University and the University of São Paulo shared the research they are doing to help people with trisomy 21 throughout their lifespan.

Rett syndrome study highlights potential for personalized treatments

April 14, 2026
Research Findings
Using advanced human cell cultures to model Rett syndrome, MIT researchers tracked how two different mutations alter neural circuit development and how each could be addressed with distinct potential therapeutics

A complete rethinking of how our brains use categories to make sense of the world

April 13, 2026
Research Findings
Challenging the classic view, two cognitive scientists argue in a new review that categorization is not a late, specialized stage of sensory processing. Instead, it is a core function operating at every level, anticipating bodily needs and motor plans.

With navigating nematodes, scientists map out how brains implement behaviors

April 10, 2026
Research Findings
How do nervous systems produce behaviors? A new MIT study provides a detailed mechanistic mapping of exactly what happens in the brains of C. elegans worms when they “follow their nose” to savor attractive odors or avoid unappealing ones