Within the brain, neurons compute by generating electrical impulses. These signals travel throughout neurons, which are in turn connected in vast networks that control brain functions such as sensory perception, memory formation, and control of movement. In an advance that could help neuroscientists map those neural networks, leading to a better understanding of how neural […]
The McGovern Institute hosts activities focused on building communication, grant-writing, and job-market skills for trainees at all career stages. These activities are spearheaded by McGovern Institute Scientific Advisor Jill Crittenden, who draws on her years of experience as an MIT research scientist to mentor predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees, guiding them through grant writing, public speaking, […]
The McGovern Institute aims to engage people of all ages and backgrounds—from middle-school students to federal policymakers—through a mix of hands-on programs, mentoring, and public events. Leading our outreach efforts is our Scientific Advisor Jill Crittenden, who draws on her years of experience as a neuroscientist to mentor students of all ages. Prior to overseeing […]
A functional nervous system depends on the cooperation of many kinds of cells. So as developing organisms build their nervous systems, their neurons must take on different forms and functions to fulfill their designated roles. That carefully orchestrated process gives rise to thousands of different cell types in the human brain. In the tiny worm […]
2026 McGovern Institute Symposium Decoding Addiction: Breaking new ground in research and clinical care Date: Friday, October 23, 2026 Location: MIT Building 46, Singleton Auditorium (Room 46-3002), 524 Main Street, Cambridge, MA Time: 1:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. with reception to follow Format: In person Admission: Event is free and open to the public. Registration […]
On June 4, colleagues held homemade signs, waved pompoms, and cheered loudly for award recipients in Kresge Auditorium. Twenty individuals and three teams received MIT Excellence Awards — the Institute’s highest honor for staff. Additional honors included the Collier Medal, the Staff Award for Distinction in Service, and the Gordon Y. Billard Award. The Collier […]
The wiring and rewiring of the brain never ends. Neural pathways are constantly being reshaped as we interact with the world and learn new things. At MIT’s McGovern Institute and York University in Toronto, scientists are combining detailed analysis of brain activity with computational modeling to better understand that change. McGovern Institute postdoctoral fellow Lynn […]
Some people find it useful to talk through their problems—but language isn’t necessary for logical reasoning, cognitive neuroscientists at MIT’s McGovern Institute say. In research published today in the journal PNAS, researchers led by McGovern Institute investigator Evelina Fedorenko have shown that people can perform well on tasks that require logical reasoning even if their […]
