A microscope view of several worms wriggling through a red-hued gel
April 20, 2026
How neurons sense bacteria in the gut
Three views of an organoid cell culture show the constiuent cells of the vaguely round, tangled mass of cells.  In the different views the cells are highlighted in different colors such as magenta and green.
April 14, 2026
Rett syndrome study highlights potential for personalized treatments
A video screenshot shows a grayscale worm twisting its body around in a loop to change direction
April 10, 2026
With navigating nematodes, scientists map out how brains implement behaviors
A member of a surgical staff holds a mask on the face of an unconscious patient in an operating room
March 17, 2026
Three anesthesia drugs all have the same effect in the brain, MIT researchers find
Li-Huei Tsai stands at a podium embossed with an MIT logo. In the foreground is an attentive audience. In the background is the Picower Institute logo
March 11, 2026
After 16+ years leading Picower Institute, Li-Huei Tsai will sharpen focus on research, teaching

Li-Huei Tsai elected to American Academy of Arts & Sciences

April 22, 2021
Picower People
AAAS honors professor whose lab focuses on understanding Alzheimer's disease and developing innovative treatment strategies

Tiny brains grown in 3D-printed bioreactor

April 7, 2021
Research Findings
Small device contains wells to let small bits of tissue grow, develop, and be studied in real time

Mice naturally engage in physical distancing, study finds

March 31, 2021
Research Findings
MIT neuroscientists have identified a brain circuit that stops mice from mating with others that appear to be sick

Study of synapse strength focuses on ‘active zones’

March 16, 2021
New Research
With new NIH grant, team will learn how neurons build key sites that release neurotransmitters a lot, or a little, to drive nervous system communication

Bigger than a Building

March 10, 2021
Picower People
Our first ever census of alumni and former research staff shows a thriving community that spans the globe and many different roles

Neural networks need more than neurons, new project posits

March 4, 2021
New Research
With a new grant from the U.S. Army, a team of scientists will seek to enhance artificial intelligence by integrating brain cells called astrocytes

Study offers an explanation for why the APOE4 gene enhances Alzheimer’s risk

March 3, 2021
Research Findings
The gene variant disrupts lipid metabolism, but in cell experiments the effects were reversed by choline supplements

Basic cell health systems wear down in Huntington’s disease, novel analysis shows

February 23, 2021
Research Findings
A new computational approach for analyzing complex datasets shows that as disease progresses, neurons and astrocytes lose the ability to maintain homeostasis

Steven Flavell earns Sloan Research Fellowship

February 16, 2021
Picower People
Award supports fundamental research on how the brain generates internal states that guide animal behavior

As you look around, mental images bounce between right and left brain

February 8, 2021
Research Findings
New study explains how the brain helps us remember what we’ve seen, even as it shifts around in our visual system

Picower Institute joins international declaration on equity and inclusion in brain science

January 12, 2021
Picower People
The ALBA Declaration outlines steps to overcome two sets of factors that contribute to a lack of equity: implicit bias and workplace culture

Neuroscientists identify brain circuit that encodes timing of events

January 11, 2021
Research Findings
Findings suggest this hippocampal circuit helps us to maintain our timeline of memories.