Home - Harvard Brain Science Initiative

3D microscopy of the brain revealing the spatial distribution of an essential neuronal protein, CTIP2

Beauty of the Brain

Stunning research images submitted by Harvard affiliated scientists for our annual Beauty of the Brain image contest.Learn more >

Albert Lin working on a microscope in Aravi Samuel's lab

Community Stories

Accessible summaries of recent research papers written by HBI scientists.Learn more >

Faculty Directory

Learn more about the 100s of faculty members in our network.Learn more >

attendees of 2024 HBI Bipolard Disorder symposium

HBI Events

Check out our upcoming and past events!Learn more >

Humans of HBI

Interviews profiling faculty, fellows, students, and staff working in the Harvard neuroscience community.Humans of HBI

Beauty of the Brain

Stunning research images submitted by Harvard affiliated scientists for our annual Beauty of the Brain image contest.Learn more >

Community Stories

Accessible summaries of recent research papers written by HBI scientists.Learn more >

Faculty Directory

Learn more about the 100s of faculty members in our network.Learn more >

attendees of 2024 hbi bipolar disorder symposium

HBI Events

Check out our upcoming and past events!Learn more >

Humans of HBI

Interviews profiling faculty, fellows, students, and staff working in the Harvard neuroscience community.Humans of HBI

2025 BIPOLAR DISORDER SEED GRANT AWARDEES

Supported by the Dauten Family Foundation and Sandra Lee Chen and Sidney Chen, the HBI Bipolar Disorder Seed Grant Program funds research relevant to the basic understanding and treatment of bipolar disorder at Harvard University and its affiliated hospitals. We are delighted to announce the 2025 awardees! Click here to learn more about their projects.

Paola Arlotta
Harvard University

Catherine Dulac
Harvard University

Susan Dymecki
Harvard Medical School

Michael E. Greenberg
Harvard Medical School

Jun Huh
Harvard Medical School

William A. Carlezon Jr.
McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Jordan Farrell
Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Christopher Harvey
Harvard Medical School

Daniel Hochbaum
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School

Bernardo Sabatini
Harvard Medical School

Louisa Sylvia
Mass. General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

Community Stories

When Neurons Discover on Their Own

How does the brain really see? In a new study, Victoria Zhanqi Zhang and the Ponce Lab reveal that neurons across the primate visual cortex are tuned not just to objects, but to animal features—highlighting a surprising bias in how the brain encodes natural scenes. Their findings shed light on the fundamental principles of visual representation.

More Than a Relay: How the Visual Thalamus Adapts to Sensory Experience

It was long thought that only neurons in the outermost regions of the brain, called the cortex, could adapt and change their properties in response to visual experience. Takuma Sonoda and Chinfei Chen share new findings revealing that the visual thalamus, a structure in the center of the brain, at an earlier stage in the visual pathway than the cortex, can also change based on what animals see. Their discovery expands our understanding of how sensory systems learn and adapt.

How Did Language Evolve? Comparing Human & Chimpanzee Brains

For many years, researchers have debated whether language in humans emerged through the evolution of gestural communication or vocal communication. Erin Hecht shares new data from chimpanzee research supporting a model where both modalities together contributed.

Upcoming Events

Journeys in Neuro

July 16, 2025
12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Location: TMEC 209

Talks by Tessa Huatala (Bellono Lab, Harvard), Emilie Tu (PiN), Erin Duffy Lacy (Greenberg Lab, HMS), and Angélica Torres-Berrío (Asst. Prof, HMS).

Journeys in Neuro

July 23, 2025
12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Location: BioLabs

Talks by Luis Boero (Murthy Lab, Harvard), Erin Hecht (Asst. Prof, Harvard), Jingting Liang (Zhang Lab, Harvard), and Jack Thibodeau (Bellono Lab, Harvard)