Our Supporters

Many individuals, families, corporations, and foundations make up the McGovern Institute’s diverse community of giving. A sampling of our supporters is listed below.

A desire to boost research into the genetic, biological, and brain bases of autism led Lisa Yang and Hock Tan ’75 SM’75 to establish a center for autism research at the McGovern Institute in 2017.

Hugo Shong

Hugo Shong


Hugo Shong supports cooperative exchanges between scientists at the McGovern Institute at MIT and the McGovern Institutes at Tsinghua, Beijing Normal, and Peking Universities.

Hugo Shong, Global Chairman of IDG Capital, established a fund to support joint scientific exchanges and symposia between scientists at MIT’s McGovern Institute and three sister McGovern Institutes in Beijing. Shong is particularly interested in building China’s strengths in the field of neuroscience and brain disorder research.

Poitras's

Patricia and James Poitras ’63 established the Poitras Center for Psychiatric Disorders Research, which supports research on bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other serious psychiatric diseases.

Razin headhot

Sheldon Razin


Sheldon Razin ’59 created an endowed fellowship to support tuition and stipend for one McGovern Institute graduate student each year.

Together with his wife Janet, Sheldon Razin ’59 endowed a fellowship at the McGovern Institute that provides one graduate student with tuition and stipend each year in perpetuity. Razin’s decision to endow a fellowship was inspired by his classmate Patrick McGovern ‘59, co-founder of the McGovern Institute.

G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation


The G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation has generously invested in basic science research in several McGovern Institute labs.

For more than 35 years, the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation has sought to advance knowledge in the life sciences by sponsoring scientific research and applying discoveries to benefit mankind. Generous support from the Foundation has enabled several McGovern Institute investigators to pursue exciting high-risk, high-reward ideas in neuroscience and genetic research.

Doris and Donald Berkey

Doris and Donald Berkey ’42, SM’43 endowed an MIT Professorship in neuroscience, with Robert Desimone, director of the McGovern Institute, as the first chair holder.

Fujitsu Laboratories

Fujitsu Laboratories created a multi-year philanthropic partnership to advance the science and engineering of intelligence and support the next generation of intelligence researchers.