McGovern Institute

Eduardo Undurraga, an assistant professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, runs a musical pitch perception experiment with a member of the Tsimane’ tribe of the Bolivian rainforest.

Perception of musical pitch varies across cultures

How people interpret musical notes depends on the types of music they have listened to, researchers find.

September 19, 2019

Mehrdad Jazayeri, an associate professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences (left), and Hazel Sive, a professor in the Department of Biology, are the 2019 recipients of the School of Science Teaching Prizes in Graduate and Undergraduate Education, respectively.

Mehrdad Jazayeri and Hazel Sive awarded 2019 School of Science teaching prizes

Nominated by peers and students, professors in brain and cognitive sciences and biology are recognized for excellence in graduate and undergraduate education.

September 18, 2019

The primary region of the human auditory cortex (outlined in white) responds differently (blue) to natural sound when background noise is present.

Hearing through the clatter

Study reveals brain regions that respond differently to the presence of background noise, suggesting the brain progressively hones in on and isolates sounds.

September 9, 2019

An MIT study suggests that mindfulness can improve mental health and academic performance in middle school students.

Two studies reveal benefits of mindfulness for middle school students

Focusing awareness on the present moment can enhance academic performance and lower stress levels.

August 26, 2019

Diagram illustrates the structure of the tiny bubbles, called liposomes, used to deliver drugs. The blue spheres represent lipids, a kind of fat molecule, surrounding a central cavity containing magnetic nanoparticles (black) and the drug to be delivered (red). When the nanoparticles are heated, the drug can escape into the body.

A new way to deliver drugs with pinpoint targeting

Magnetic particles allow drugs to be released at precise times and in specific areas.

August 19, 2019

MIT researchers have found a circuit of thousands of neurons in the mammalian brain (blue) traces out a one-dimensional ring during complex navigation behaviors. “In the absence of this ring,” explains Associate Professor Ila Fiete, “we would be lost in the world.”

Finding the brain’s compass

A powerful method has allowed McGovern researchers to discover how the brain represents the complex world in simple shapes.

August 12, 2019

SHANK3 (green) is expressed along with a neural marker (NeuN) in the mouse anterior cingulate cortex.

Neuroscientists identify brain region linked to altered social interactions in autism model

In a mouse model, restoring activity of a specific forebrain region reverses social traits associated with autism.

July 26, 2019

New faculty of the MIT School of Science: (clockwise from top left) Netta Engelhardt, Evelina Fedorenko, Erin Kara, Pulin Li, Morgan Sheng, Seychelle Vos, and Xiao Wang.

New faces in the School of Science faculty

Departments of Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Chemistry, and Physics welcome new faculty members.

July 23, 2019

MIT neuroscientists have identified patterns of brain activity that underlie our ability to interpret sensory input based on our expectations and past experiences.

How expectation influences perception

Neuroscientists find brain activity patterns that encode our beliefs and affect how we interpret the world around us.

July 15, 2019

The CRISPR family enzyme Cas13 (pink) is at the heart of the RESCUE platform, where it uses a special guide (red) to target RNAs in the cell (blue).

New CRISPR platform expands RNA editing capabilities

The new system, dubbed RESCUE, allows RNA edits to be made that were not previously possible.

July 11, 2019

The tiny coils in the fiber developed by MIT researchers curl even tighter when warmed up. This causes the fiber to contract, much like a muscle fiber.

Artificial “muscles” achieve powerful pulling force

New MIT system of contracting fibers could be a boon for biomedical devices and robotics.

July 11, 2019

Shawn Robinson, senior research associate at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, helped kick off the first-ever MIT Science of Reading event dressed in full superhero attire as Doctor Dyslexia Dude — the star of a graphic novel series he co-created to engage and encourage young readers, rooted in his own experiences as a student with dyslexia.

Bridging the gap between research and the classroom

MIT’s first-ever Science of Reading event brings together researchers and educators to discuss how to use research to improve literacy outcomes.

June 27, 2019

A visualization of the data for a sample provided by DNA microscopy, with random colors assigned to individual inferred cells.

A chemical approach to imaging cells from the inside

Researchers develop a new microscopy system for creating maps of cells, using chemical reactions to encode spatial information.

June 20, 2019

Structure of the Shank3 protein, a gene with a strong association to autism spectrum disorder.

Using gene editing, neuroscientists develop a new model for autism

By introducing a gene variant associated with autism into monkeys, researchers hope to study treatment options for severe neurodevelopmental disorders.

June 12, 2019

MIT neuroscientists have identified a brain circuit that helps us block sensory distractions.

How we tune out distractions

Neuroscientists trace a brain circuit that filters unwanted sensory input.