Participate in a Study

We depend on volunteer research subjects for many of our studies. By volunteering you will be helping MIT researchers to understand the working of the human brain and the causes of many brain disorders – work that may eventually contribute to the development of new treatments.

Learn more about functional magnetic brain imaging (fMRI), one of our most important tools for studying brain function.

Studies are conducted on the MIT campus, and typically last from 15 minutes to several hours. Some may involve repeat visits. Most are non-invasive and involve looking at computer screens and pressing buttons -- in some cases while lying in a brain scanner or while wearing an EEG device to record brain activity.

Volunteers are compensated for their time at rates that vary from $10/hr to around $30/hr, depending on the study.

MIT is easily accessible by public transport, and parking spaces next to our building are available for research volunteers. Much of our work involves research on children and adolescents, including studies of normal brain development as well as the origins of conditions such as autism and dyslexia. We aim to provide a ‘kid-friendly’ environment that is comfortable for our young volunteers and their families.

Learn more about our work with children>>

• We are actively recruiting children, adolescents and adults with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. For more information visit the Simons Center for the Social Brain or contact project coordinator Lee Mavros.
• We are also studying child development, including normal development as well as the origins of dyslexia. For more information, please contact Caitlin Malloy.
  
• We also work extensively with adult subjects of all ages and backgrounds. If you are interested in participating in our brain imaging studies, please join the Brain and Cognitive Sciences subject email list. If you would like to participate in behavioral experiments, please join this list, which is also maintained by the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences.
  

Volunteer for a study through the MIT Museum

Visitors to the MIT Museum now have the opportunity use the red telephone in the exhibit 'Sampling MIT' to become part of breakthrough research on the human brain at the McGovern Institute.

Disclaimer: MIT is a research institution; we do not treat patients and do not conduct clinical trials, nor can we provide clinical advice. For information about clinical trials in your area, please visit the NIH registry.