McGovern Institute

MIT researchers have developed a new bionic knee that helps people with above-the-knee amputations walk faster, climb stairs, and avoid obstacles more easily than they could with a traditional prosthesis. McGovern Institute Associate Investigator Hugh Herr, who is also…

We are thrilled to announce that Sven Dorkenwald @sdorkenw will join the McGovern Institute faculty in January 2026! 🎉 Sven uses advanced computational methods to build and analyze comprehensive maps of the brain. @mitbrainandcog @ScienceMIT mcgovern.mit.edu/2025/07/02/mit…

This #TalkTuesday McGovern Investigator Feng Zhang speaks with former US Senator Bill Bradley about coming to the US as a child, the benefits of his public school education, and advances he's making in gene editing to improve human health. youtube.com/watch?v=ODJdFu…

Congrats to molecular biologist Feng Zhang @zhangf for being elected to @EMBO membership! He is among 69 new members recognized for their outstanding contributions to life sciences. 🍾 @mitbrainandcog @ScienceMIT mcgovern.mit.edu/2025/07/01/fen…

In Alan Jasanoff's lab, postdoc Miranda Dawson studies how fentanyl changes the brain. Outside of lab, she serves on the executive board of End Overdose Boston, and spends her free time hiking, biking, and practicing yoga. #MeetMcGovern

Did you know that C. elegans, a microscopic roundworm without eyes, can sense color and taste light? Learn about this and other surprising discoveries made by H. Robert Horvitz, who has dedicated his entire career to studying this tiny worm: indd.adobe.com/view/e2a246e0-…

A study out of @mjaz_jazlab shows that humans flexibly deploy different reasoning strategies to tackle challenging mental tasks — offering insights for building machines that think more like us. @mitbrainandcog @ScienceMIT mcgovern.mit.edu/2025/06/11/how…

As part of our recent 25th anniversary celebration, our Director Bob Desimone reflected on some of our greatest accomplishments and described what we might expect to see from the McGovern Institute in the next decade. Watch his talk below 👇#TalkTuesday youtu.be/vpkcTL-YKPc?si…

As we navigate, neural activity patterns can encode competing hypotheses about which landmark will lead to the correct destination, according to a paper by Mark Harnett and @jvoigts published today @NatureNeuro. @mitbrainandcog mcgovern.mit.edu/2025/06/06/how…

Say "Brainy!" 📸 🧠 All smiles during our joint retreat with @mit_bcs and @mit_picower this past week in Newport, Rhode Island! The retreat featured talks, career panels, storytelling, community bonding, and (of course) dancing. Until next time!

This #TalkTuesday we invite you to explore new insights into the effects of meditation and mindfulness on brain health, featuring @MIT @Northeastern @UWMadison cognitive neuroscientists and Tibetan Buddhist master Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche. youtu.be/Gfp7mlzj5Gw?si…

You may know us for our science - but you should also know that our researchers are *more* than just scientists. Meet Nikasha Patel - a second-year grad student in @mjaz_jazlab who also DJs 🎧, dances 🪩, and digs 🏐

#TalkTuesday - Language may be a defining characteristic of our species, but @ev_fedorenko provides compelling evidence that it's not required for complex thought.@mitbrainandcog 🗣️ Watch the @ScienceMIT talk here: youtu.be/woF3jjIupDU?si…

It's the end of finals season at MIT + our students' patience may be running thin. But these probes are even thinner.... Read more about the flexible neural probes that enable @AnikeevaLab to explore hard-to-reach places, including deep within the brain: mcgovern.mit.edu/2021/06/30/squ…

Talk Tuesday: Earlier this month, @FieteGroup described @MITboston how her lab is decoding the mystery of memory using advanced computational methods. Watch the full talk, including how "memory palaces" help us to remember: 🗣️🧠 youtu.be/yOCr0h2MP7k?si…

We are delighted that our major supporter Lisa Yang made the 2025 #TIME100Philanthropy list! 🎉 The Yang Tan Collective is pushing the boundaries of science and accelerating discoveries that improve lives worldwide. time.com/collections/ti…

MIT Mentor: @Nancy_Kanwisher (center) has guided more than 70 PhD students + postdocs during her career, including @ev_fedorenko (left), @JoshHMcDermott (center) + @Rebecca_Saxe (right), who are now her colleagues at the McGovern Institute. Learn more: indd.adobe.com/view/dce9d2fc-…

Scientists in Feng Zhang's lab have re-engineered a compact RNA-guided enzyme they found in bacteria into an efficient, programmable editor of human DNA. @NatureBiotech @zhangf @broadinstitute @mitbrainandcog @ScienceMIT mcgovern.mit.edu/2025/05/08/rat…

What's it like to be a baby? Scanning their brains can help us find out: salon.com/2025/05/07/wha…

A new study by @JohnGabrieli has shown that daily mindfulness practice with a smartphone app may significantly reduce stress and anxiety for autistic adults. mcgovern.mit.edu/2025/04/28/dai… @LironRozenkrant