The goal of the Center for Integrative Neuroscience is to explain how nerve cells (neurons) in the brain work together to generate behavior.  Major questions we seek answers to include:

  1. How do neurons and the connections between neurons develop over time?
  2. What properties of neurons and their connections make it possible for us to experience diverse perceptions including visual images, sounds, pain, and language?
  3. How do we form memories and learn to perform complex movements or cognitive tasks?
  4. What makes some experiences rewarding and others painful or aversive?

At the heart of these questions is understanding how the brain processes information in order to carry out complex computations.  We believe that answering these questions is the key to understanding and treating neurological and psychiatric disorders, including autism, addiction, dementia, dyslexia, depression, schizophrenia, stroke, tinnitus, and trauma.  Our group includes members who are physicians trained in neurology, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, and psychiatry.

We take a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach to our projects, working together to combine ideas from genetics, molecular biology, ethology, neurophysiology, engineering, mathematics, and computer science.  We welcome the participation of those looking to contribute to our research endeavors through joining our research teams or providing critical philanthropic support.