A key brain region responds to faces similarly in infants and adults
Study suggests this area of the visual cortex emerges much earlier in development than previously thought.
McGovern Institute
Study finds a striking difference between neurons of humans and other mammals
Human neurons have fewer ion channels, which might have allowed the human brain to divert energy to other neural processes.
Giving robots social skills
A new machine-learning system helps robots understand and perform certain social interactions.
Artificial intelligence sheds light on how the brain processes language
Neuroscientists find the internal workings of next-word prediction models resemble those of language-processing centers in the brain.
Six with MIT ties elected to the National Academy of Medicine for 2021
Professors Linda Griffith and Feng Zhang along with Guillermo Ameer ScD ’99, Darrell Gaskin SM ’87, William Hahn, and Vamsi Mootha recognized for contributions to medicine, health care, and public health.
Artificial networks learn to smell like the brain
When asked to classify odors, artificial neural networks adopt a structure that closely resembles that of the brain’s olfactory circuitry.
How the brain deals with uncertainty
Dedicated circuits evaluate uncertainty in the brain, preventing it from using unreliable information to make decisions.
New integrative computational neuroscience center established at MIT’s McGovern Institute
The K. Lisa Yang Integrative Computational Neuroscience (ICoN) Center will use mathematical tools to transform data into a deep understanding of the brain.
Seven from MIT receive National Institutes of Health awards for 2021
Awards support high-risk, high-reward biomedical and behavioral research.
New bionics center established at MIT with $24 million gift
Interdisciplinary research center funded by philanthropist Lisa Yang aims to mitigate disability through technologies that marry human physiology with electromechanics.
RNA-targeting enzyme expands the CRISPR toolkit
Exploring diversity among bacterial immune systems, McGovern Institute scientists uncovere a programmable system for precisely targeting and modifying RNA.
New programmable gene editing proteins found outside of CRISPR systems
Researchers find RNA-guided enzymes are more diverse and widespread than previously believed.
School of Science welcomes new faculty
Twelve professors begin in the departments of Biology; Brain and Cognitive Sciences; Chemistry; Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences; Mathematics; and Physics.
Scientists harness human protein to deliver molecular medicines to cells
Made of components found in the human body, the programmable system is a step toward safer, targeted delivery of gene editing and other molecular therapeutics.
Jacqueline Lees and Rebecca Saxe named associate deans of science
Professors will help guide school-level initiatives and strategy.