The McGovern Institute is an integral part of MIT with a board that includes representatives appointed by the McGovern family and by MIT. The director of the McGovern Institute is Robert Desimone, who is also the Doris and Don Berkey Professor in MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences. Desimone is responsible for the overall […]
Researchers at the McGovern Institute depend on volunteers for many studies. Volunteer research subjects help our neuroscientists understand the workings of the human brain and the causes of many brain disorders – work that may eventually contribute to the development of new treatments. To learn about future volunteer opportunities, please join MIT’s Department of Brain […]
The McGovern Institute operates the following core facilities and programs for the MIT brain research community.
Brain Scan is the quarterly newsletter from the McGovern Institute. Not on our mailing list? Subscribe here to receive a print subscription. Current Issue
We are dedicated to sharing the exceptional work of our scientists with broad audiences. Our communications team works with journalists to provide accurate information about our research, arrange interviews with scientists, assist in developing story ideas, provide compelling imagery, and coordinate filming. If you are interested in using one of our images, videos, or animations […]
Many individuals, families, corporations, and foundations make up the McGovern Institute’s diverse community of giving. A sampling of our supporters is listed below.
About the Annual Symposium The McGovern Institute has organized an annual symposium each year since 2005. These events typically take place during the spring semester and they are free and open to the public. Recordings of a selection of past symposia are available on our Youtube channel. 2024 McGovern Institute Symposium The 2024 McGovern Institute […]
About the Sharp Lecture The Phillip A. Sharp Lecture in Neural Circuits is an annual lecture in honor of Phillip Sharp, who served as founding director of McGovern Institute from 2000-2004. A list of past speakers can be found below. Sharp, who shared the 1993 Nobel Prize for his discovery of split genes, has also […]
The creation of the McGovern Institute was made possible by the vision and generosity of Patrick J. McGovern ’59 and Lore Harp McGovern, whose commitment remains one of the largest philanthropic gifts in the history of higher education. The McGoverns envisioned an institute whose ultimate goal would be to understand the human brain in health […]
